In Portland, Ore., some Parkinson's patients have found an unlikely ally in their battle against the disease: ping-pong paddles.

• Why it matters: Table tennis is emerging as a surprising source of therapy and community for those with Parkinson's disease — boosting balance, easing tremors and creating meaningful connection, Axios Portland's Kale Williams reports.

🧠 The big picture: Ping Pong Parkinson, an international nonprofit propelling the movement, says playing can stimulate brain activity, improve motor control and sharpen reflexes in people with Parkinson's.

• Some studies suggest these benefits can spill into daily life.

Zoom in: Each Tuesday morning, about a dozen players rally at the Portland Table Tennis Club, where guided by coaches they serve, slam and laugh their way through fast-paced games.

• Sharon Bergman — who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2019 — says she feels like a different person when she steps up to the ping-pong table. "When I play ping-pong, I forget I have Parkinson's. ... It brings a lot of joy."
• "You have to move fast, deciding what kind of shot to hit, whether it's forehand or backhand," says Phil Bernstein, who was diagnosed in 2023. "That's something that Parkinson's takes from you."

💡 At Parkinson's Resources of Oregon in Beaverton, coach Rob Solomon has seen the shift firsthand.

• "Some of their tremors are incredibly sad, and then they get up to the table and their hand is just solid," he says.

Beyond the physical, Solomon adds: "I've never seen the kind of cohesion among the players that we have here. It's because they're all doing it together."

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