LSVT® BIG Program

Parkinson’s is a neurological disease that affects the quality and amplitude of a person’s movements, speech, and swallowing. Tremors, rigidity, slow movement (bradykinesia), poor balance and difficulty walking are all also associated with Parkinson’s disease. For patients with Parkinson’s, everyday tasks like walking and speaking can be overwhelmingly difficult. Many patients feel isolated as a result.

At HCHS, our Rehabilitation Department offers a non-invasive treatment program for Parkinson’s patients struggling with the activities of daily living. We retrain movements to make them bigger so that daily tasks, like walking, are easier. The goal of the program is to help these patients perform their activities of daily living with greater ease.

According to LSVT BIG research, individuals with Parkinson’s disease should not wait until they begin to experience disability, impaired function or loss of balance before they begin to exercise. LSVT® BIG techniques include intensive physical and occupational therapy focused on training individuals to self-monitor for better movement.

These strategies lead to improvement in:

• Faster walking with bigger steps
• Better balance
• Increased flexibility of trunk
• Improvement on daily activity such as bed mobility
• Increased UPDRS motor score

BIG for LIFE® - Community-based exercise groups for people who have completed LSVT BIG treatment, created to help you stay fit and have fun exercising with others. BIG for LIFE classes are intended to be fun, challenging, engaging and will provide participants with opportunities for social interaction while they exercise! Find a BIG for LIFE Provider Near You

Call our Rehabilitation Department for more information: 641-843-5500