LSVT BIG THERAPY

 

  • LSVT BIG is an intensive, effective, one-on-one treatment created to help people with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions.
  • Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease that comes with a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms. It causes movements to become smaller and slower than typical and also affects balance, coordination, and posture.
  • This is a specialized rehabilitation treatment that consists of 4 sessions per week for a month, with daily homework and carryover exercises. It is tailored to each person’s own abilities and goals.
  • It is a progressive process that improves walking, self-care and other tasks by helping people “recalibrate” the perception of movement in the brain.
  • Through these sessions, LSVT BIG treatment trains people to increase the size (amplitude) of their movements from head to toe.
  • The patient performs exercises based on large movements and functional activities of daily living (eg. writing, dressing and getting up from low chairs) or even job-related tasks. 
  • Research on LSVT BIG has documented improvement on tests of motor functioning in people with PD following treatment. Improvements include:
    • Faster walking with bigger steps
    • Improved balance
    • Better movement in the torso
    • Reduced risk of falling