Cedar Hill Physical Therapy and Wellness Center offers LSVT BIG, a program which trains people with Parkinson disease (PD) to use their body more normally. Paul the Physical Therapist is an LSVT BIG certified clinician.
People living with PD or other neurological conditions often move differently, with gestures and actions that become smaller and slower. They may have trouble with getting around, getting dressed, and with other activities of daily living.
LSVT BIG effectively trains improved movements for any activity, whether “small motor” tasks like buttoning a shirt or “large motor” tasks like getting up from a sofa or chair or maintaining balance while 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.
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 the early or middle stages of one’s condition when we 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 considerable physical difficulties.
What exactly is LSVT Big®?
LSVT Big® is a form of treatment that may be unknown to most. LSVT stands for “Lee Silverman Voice Treatment” and has two branches that come off of it – “Big” and “Loud.” These treatments are expanded from an existing program used to help with speech.
While this is a treatment that is primarily done with Parkinson’s patients, it can be used to treat numerous other conditions, as well. It is based on the principle of neuroplasticity, which refers to the ability of the nervous system to change in response to signals – essentially, the brain’s capability of learning and changing.
In fact, scientific research done on the results of LSVT Big® has reported significant progress in several categories for people struggling with Parkinson’s Disease, including:
- Improved balance
- Increased trunk rotation
- Faster walking, with bigger steps
- Improvements in activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, eating, and writing
LSVT Big® uses a large amplitude training (also known as Be BIG!) in order to elicit improved and healthy movement as a new normal for patients.
These treatments are typically administered in 16 individual sessions over the course of one month, which equals out to four 60-minute sessions per week. This intensive mode of administration is consistent with theories of motor learning and skill acquisition, as well as the principle of neuroplasticity. Because of this, intensive treatments are critical in reaching the most optimal results possible.
LSVT Big® treatments don’t only stimulate the motor system – they also incorporate sensory awareness training, in order to help patients with impairments such as Parkinson’s Disease recognize when their movements are too small. This helps in convincing them their bigger movements are within normal limits, and it also makes them comfortable with their new bigger, faster, and safer movements when walking, dressing, or eating.
How do I know if I’m eligible for LSVT Big® treatments?
The LSVT BIG treatment is most commonly used in the treatment of Parkinson disease. Because it 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 considerable physical difficulties.
While the clinical research thus far has focused on Parkinson disease, LSVT BIG is an intensive treatment built on the principles of motor learning and neuroplasticity, making it a viable treatment for diagnoses such as: atypical Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease, stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, and others.
It is likely that anyone with motor skill impairments may benefit from LSVT Big® treatments. Paul the Physical Therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation to determine if this treatment method is right for you.
Contact Cedar Hill Physical Therapy and Wellness Center today. We’ll make sure you get the treatment and care you need!
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