Grand View Health > Services > Physical Therapy Overview > LSVT Big & Loud Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

LSVT BIG® and LOUD® Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

People with Parkinson’s disease may begin to experience changes in the way they walk and talk. Grand View Health offers a team of physical therapists skilled in Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) BIG® and LOUD® therapy. These two proven movement and voice therapies help people in Bucks and Montgomery counties overcome the challenges of Parkinson’s disease.

LSVT BIG Therapy and Exercises for Movement Disorders

It’s common for people with Parkinson’s to walk slower, with smaller steps and shuffled feet. Sometimes it may be difficult to transfer from a sitting to a standing position, or it may be challenging to button a shirt.

LSVT BIG is an evidence-based movement disorder therapy. Named for a woman living with Parkinson’s, LSVT BIG uses specialized exercises to help people increase their movement amplitude and return to a normal gait pattern.

Through LSVT BIG therapy, people can recognize how small their movements have become, recalibrate them, and learn how to feel comfortable using larger movements.

LSVT LOUD Therapy and Exercises for Speech Disorders

People with Parkinson’s disease may get hoarse. The volume of their voice may grow softer. Their speech may be slurred, or they may stammer or stutter.

LSVT LOUD is an evidence-based physical therapy designed to help people with Parkinson’s manage their speech challenges. Through specialized exercises, people learn how to use their voice at a louder level when speaking with friends, co-workers or community members. This helps people recognize how loud or soft they may sound to other people and teaches them how to feel comfortable using a stronger voice.

What to Expect During LSVT BIG and LOUD Therapy

LSVT LOUD therapy is held on an outpatient basis at Grand View Hospital while LSVT BIG therapy is on an outpatient basis at the Sellersville Outpatient Center or Harleysville Outpatient Center.

Both therapies will be held four times per week for four weeks. Both treatments include a series of 17 visits, an evaluation and 16 treatment sessions with a physical therapist. Our teams will perform specialized exercises to help people make their voices and movements stronger. We tailor each treatment to a person’s specific goals and needs. Treatments are effective for all stages of Parkinson’s, but treatment in the early and middle stages is proven to slow the progression of Parkinson’s and improve function.

A prescription from a physician is required to participate in LSVT LOUD and LSVT BIG therapy.