LSVT BIG Program
LSVT BIG For Parkinson's Disease
What is LSVT Big?
LSVT BIG is a standardized treatment protocol that is customized to the unique goals of each individual. LSVT BIG can be adapted or progressed to meet each patient’s needs across a range of disease severity and impairments. The goal of LSVT BIG is to restore normal movement patterns in everyday activities.
Research shows that LSVT BIG results in:
- Faster walking with bigger steps
- Improved balance and reduced risk of falling
- Increased trunk rotation
- Improvements in activities of daily living such as bed mobility
- Improved multi-tasking with walking
The treatment improves walking, self-care, and other tasks by helping people "recalibrate" how they perceive their movements with what others actually see. It also teaches them how and when to apply extra effort to produce bigger motions-more like the movements of everyone around them.
What is the schedule for LSVT BIG?
LSVT Big is like a boot camp for people with Parkinson's Disease. It is an intense therapy program that involves a high dosage of therapy for a short period of time. The high dosage of therapy and the continuty and repetition is what makes the program so effective because it helps to retrain the conscious/volitional parts of the brain to replace the functions that have been lost in the automatic portions of the brain.
Program structure requires:
1. Large amplitude exercises for the whole body
2. Personalized functional skills practice
3. 16 sessions, 4 consecutive days a week for 4 weeks
4. 60-minute one-on-one therapy sessions
5. Daily home exercise practice
It is essential that LSVT BIG treatment is only delivered by physical and/or occupational therapists who are certified in this method.
Who can participate in LSVT BIG?
Because LSVT BIG treatment is customized to each person's specific needs and goals, it can help regardless of the stage or severity of your condition. That said, the treatment may be most effective in early or middle stages of your condition, when you can both improve function and potentially slow further symptom progression. Beginning your work with LSVT BIG before you've noticed significant problems with balance, mobility, or posture will often lead to the best results, but it's never too late to start. LSVT BIG can produce significant improvements even for people facing considereable physical difficulties.
Since the LSVT BIG protocol is consistent with principles of motor learning and neuroplasticity, individuals with other neurologic diagnoses besides Parkinson's disease may benefit. Call our office or consult your physician to determine your situation.
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How Much Does LSVT Big Cost?
Due to how effective the program is in treating motor symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, most insurance companies cover the cost of the LSVT Big program. When you call to schedule your evaluation, our client care specialist will check your benefits.
How do I sign up for the LSVT Big Program?
Signing up for LSVT Big is easy! Just call our clinic at 410-823-8061 or email Joyce.Reckley@fyzical.com to schedule your appointment. During your one hour evaluation, your physical therapist will perform a variety of walking, balance, and strength tests with you and also discuss your goals for the program. After that, you will be ready to start the program!