LSVT Loud/Big for People with Parkinson's

This evidence-based voice treatment technique for patients with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders improves vocal loudness by stimulating the muscles of the voice box (larynx) and speech mechanism through a systematic hierarchy of exercises. 

LOUD is the first speech treatment with Level 1 evidence and efficacy for treating voice and speech disorders with Parkinson’s disease. It is administered on an intensive schedule of 16 individual, 60-minute sessions in one month’s time. 

Research demonstrated for 12 to 24 months post-treatment 90% of participants maintained: 
 

• Vocal loudness
• Speech Intelligibility
• Swallowing
• Facial expression

Developed specifically to address the unique movement impairments for people with Parkinson’s disease, this intensive whole-body, amplitude-based training protocol helps patients improve core movements used in daily living. 

BIG is a research-based, intensive occupational therapy program for people with Parkinson’s disease, administered on a schedule of 16 individual, 60-minute sessions in one month’s time. 

Treatments target the production of larger amplitude whole body functional movements while retraining one’s sensory feedback to learn how “normal” movement should feel. BIG promotes strength, motor learning, and enhances proprioceptive feedback to produce: 
 

• Faster walking with bigger steps
• Better balance
• Increased trunk rotation
• Improved dexterity