Neuro Heroes Panel Review

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Laura Douglas Anna Kharin (left - right)

Neuro Heroes offers live fitness classes run by neuro physiotherapists and specialist instructors. 

The idea for Neuro Heroes came to specialist neurological physiotherapists Anna Kharin and Laura Douglas in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. The two co-founders were struck by the lack of tailored online exercise classes for people with neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s. Development for their online gym began in early 2020 and, by October, Neuro Heroes officially launched, starting with pilot classes for people with Parkinson’s and quickly expanding to include other neurological conditions. 

The platform currently hosts 32 live exercise classes a week, hosted remotely on Zoom and designed to cater to groups of different abilities. Instructors – a mix of neuro physios and yoga instructors trained in Parkinson’s – offer the encouragement and real-time personalised feedback you’d expect from an in-person class. All Neuro Heroes physiotherapists are members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). 

“Our mission is to take away the guesswork and give people with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions the tools to move better, feel stronger, and live more fully. We digest the international Parkinson’s exercise guidelines and translate them into condition-specific, easy-to-follow online classes”, Anna explained to the Tech Guide.

“With us, exercise becomes simple, safe, and effective – designed to build confidence, independence, and enjoyment of life. People are grouped by ability level, giving them a sense of community, reassurance that they are in the right workout, and confidence knowing they are supported by experts. You just show up, and we handle the plan”.

Going forward, Neuro Heroes plans to expand its class range to include more than the existing four ability levels and offer more varied intensity levels, ensuring there are classes fit for everyone. The platform is also developing additional resources – including courses and webinars on Parkinson’s management – to assist the community outside of its exercise classes.

Getting started

Before joining a class, you must complete an online health and fitness assessment. This includes internationally recognised methods to assess your fitness level, leg strength, gait measurements and balance

Once the assessment has been reviewed by a clinician, a member of the Neuro Heroes team gets in contact by email. The email explains which class level you have been assigned to and includes information on how to see the class timetable and book a session. 

Our reviewers all have different abilities and were assigned classes to reflect this:

High intensity - 2 reviewers

Moderate intensity - 1 reviewer

Lower to moderate intensity - 1 reviewer

Lower level - 1 reviewer 

All the reviewers said that it was easy and clear to set up their Neuro Heroes account.

“The online system is easy to navigate with clear instructions to follow.” 

Another reviewer added: “I thought the layout was easy to follow and the instructions were very clear and reader-friendly.”

Class timetable 

Neuro Heroes classes run weekly, Monday to Friday from 8:30am until mid-afternoon. There are 2 evening sessions scheduled each week - 1 is an advanced class and the other is a high intensity class. There is a range of 5-7 classes every day for different fitness levels, each 1-hour long. The varied schedule includes, pilates, seated workouts, yoga and circuits.

4 reviewers found that the timetable was not flexible enough for their health needs or social schedule.

A reviewer who was diagnosed 13 years ago and experiences severe pain, rigidity and freezing told the Tech Guide: “While I appreciated that there were 5 to 7 sessions available each day, most of them were scheduled only on weekdays [during the day]. This limited my ability to take part, as the timing did not always work with my routine or energy levels. 

“The scheduling felt a bit restrictive, as if it assumed everyone could fit into the same pattern and did not reflect the diverse needs of people with Parkinson’s. Offering some evening or weekend sessions would have given me much-needed flexibility and a better chance of attending more regularly.”

The company allows you to cancel with a refund for up to 4 hours before the session is due to start. 1 reviewer particularly liked this policy and thought it was “very reasonable”.

They said: “If you have a very busy life it can be difficult to fit in sessions, but there are lots of sessions available and you can cancel with a refund as long as you do so 4 hours before the class.” 

All the classes are booked online. Most of the reviewers found booking classes “very easy”.

“The classes are all described in detail and it tells you the level of fitness best suited for a class,” explained a reviewer.

A 74-year-old reviewer told us they found it tricky to keep track of all their bookings as they’re sent in an email. They would have preferred it if the bookings were shown in an online calendar.

During the classes 

All the classes are designed from research to help people reach recommended exercise guidelines and are kept small enough for the class physio to keep an eye on everyone and offer individualised feedback.

“When I couldn’t manage certain movements, I was usually given an alternative. That kind of flexibility helped me feel included, even when my body wasn’t cooperating,” said a reviewer with muscle weakness.

Another reviewer described the instructors’ advice as “exceptional”. They added: “I spoke to each of the instructors whose advice was just for me and my situation.”

The instructors use upbeat music and playful activities to ensure people are fully engaged while working out. All the reviewers commented on how relaxed the classes felt and how encouraging the instructors were.

A reviewer whose Parkinson’s symptoms include fatigue and depression said: “All the neuro physios were excellent, making everyone feel comfortable and giving encouraging feedback.”

Another reviewer who describes themself as “anti-fitness” said the instructors’ encouragement made a big difference to them. 

“When instructors praised me or acknowledged my effort, it gave me a real boost. It helped me feel seen and kept me motivated to keep going.

“Unfortunately, this kind of encouragement wasn’t consistent across instructors. On days when I was visibly struggling, a few kind words would have gone a long way. For someone like me, who has a complicated relationship with exercise, motivation can be fragile. I need instructors to recognise how hard I’m trying, especially when it’s clearly not easy.”

This same reviewer also felt that the 1-hour classes were too long. They recalled: “On days when I was low on energy or in pain, it felt like a mountain to climb. A 30-minute option would have made it easier to participate consistently and feel successful, instead of defeated.”

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Fitness improvement

Neuro Heroes’ goal is for people with Parkinson’s to “move better, feel stronger, and live more fully”.

All the reviewers said they felt more motivated to incorporate exercise into their routines, with one satisfied reviewer saying the classes “make me feel more alive and normal.”

Another reviewer added: “I feel fitter and happier than I have for ages.”

Two reviewers commented on the importance of not only feeling fitter but also discovering what movements helped with their Parkinson’s symptoms. 1 reviewer said: “Neuro Heroes gave me a good routine which I could follow at various times of day to suit me. I definitely felt the effect on my Parkinson’s symptoms.”

The other reviewer agreed. “It helps me focus on exercises that are aimed at improving my ability to live with Parkinson’s. I do general fitness exercises as well but discovered that I was not fit in some ways that the Parkinson’s exercises focused on."

The reviewer who previously mentioned that they were “anti-fitness” at the start of the testing process, told us: “It reminded me to move my body. Having a Neuro Heroes session booked, made it certain that I was going to do exercise on that specific day. Conversely, if it had been left up to personal choice and chance, the likelihood of exercising would have seriously diminished then.”

They added: “It was really good at motivating me to incorporate exercise into my weekly regime, which prior to my participation in this trial, was a very foreign and alien concept to me.”

Neuro Heroes offers a range of payment options including pay-as-you-go, bundles and memberships. If you opt for pay-as-you-go, each exercise class costs £15. Their 5-class bundle costs £65 (which works out as £13 per class). There are additional money-saving bundles and membership options available. You can see more about Neuro Heroes pricing hereopens in new tab.

The reviewers had mixed views on the pricing. While some felt the price was good value, others thought the classes were too expensive.

For 1 reviewer, the price was a huge barrier for them. “That is a small fortune for many people,” said the 40-year-old. “There must be a better, more financially viable way to incorporate exercise. Being bankrupt just to include exercise is not a sensible or viable option.”

The reviewer, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s more than a decade ago added: “At £15, I found the pricing quite steep, especially as someone who isn’t working and lives with a long-term condition. It made me feel like the programme was geared more toward people who are financially comfortable. For those of us on benefits or limited incomes, a concession rate or subsidy would make it more accessible.”

Neuro Heroes does, in fact, do just that. The Neuro Heroes Exercise Community Fund was set up in partnership with Parkinson’s UK to help remove the financial or psychological barrier to physical activity by subsidising six classes for people with MS or Parkinson’s who would otherwise be unable to join. You can visit this webpage to find out more about the Exercise Community Fundopens in new tab.

A 57-year-old reviewer told us that they liked the bundle options and that you don’t have to be “tied down with a membership”. They said: “It’s definitely worth the price, very good value for money and excellent quality overall.”

A reviewer, who tried out various seated and standing classes during the testing period, told us: “This platform provides an excellent, caring and affordable exercise solution for those who want or need to exercise at home.”  

However, a reviewer who experiences poor posture said that compared with their village-hall exercise classes, £15 a class was expensive. But they added that the convenience made it worth it. “It is very convenient, it involves no travel time or costs and you are getting real professional guidance from neurological specialists rather than general physiotherapists.”

Another reviewer added: “It’s much cheaper than having a personal trainer, who may not know about Parkinson’s. The focus is on Parkinson’s, so yes, I think it’s worth the price.”

They continued: “The key that makes this a better option than a gym membership is that it focuses on exercises that help deal with Parkinson’s problems. For example, doing multiple movements at same time and relating an exercise to moves in everyday life.”