LSVT BIG Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Move Bigger. Move More Confidently. Stay Independent.

Parkinson’s disease can gradually make movement smaller, slower, and more difficult – even when it does not feel that way to the person moving.

Steps may become shorter. Arm swing may decrease. Turning, getting out of a chair, rolling in bed, dressing, or walking through a busy environment may require more effort than they once did.

LSVT BIG is a specialized physical therapy treatment designed to help people with Parkinson’s disease retrain their bodies and brains to produce larger, more effective movements.

Venice Concierge Physical Therapy offers individualized, in-home LSVT BIG treatment with Kimberly DelVecchio, PT, FAFS, LSVT BIG Certified Clinician.

Schedule an LSVT BIG Evaluation

What Is LSVT BIG?

LSVT BIG is an evidence-based treatment program developed specifically for people with Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s can affect not only the size and speed of movement, but also a person’s perception of that movement. A movement that feels normal may actually have become smaller or slower.

LSVT BIG addresses this disconnect through a process called recalibration. Treatment helps you:

Recognize when your movement has become too small
Use greater effort to produce more normal-sized movement
Carry larger, more purposeful movement into everyday life
Become more aware of how you are moving without having to depend entirely on someone else’s cues

The goal is not simply to perform exercises well during physical therapy. The goal is to help you move more effectively when walking through your home, getting dressed, preparing a meal, turning in a crowded room, getting into a car, or participating in the activities that matter most to you.

What Can LSVT BIG Help Improve?

LSVT BIG may help address difficulties with:

Short, shuffling steps
Reduced walking speed
Decreased arm swing
Stooped or flexed posture
Hesitation or difficulty initiating movement
Turning and changing direction
Walking through doorways or narrow spaces
Getting up from a chair
Getting into and out of bed
Dressing and other self-care activities
Balance and coordination
Reaching, bending, and carrying
Completing two activities at the same time
Confidence with everyday movement

Treatment is always connected to your individual needs. One person may want to walk confidently through a restaurant. Another may want to return to golf, manage stairs, get up from the floor, travel, or move more safely through the home.

Your personal goals become part of the treatment.

What Does the LSVT BIG Program Involve?

The standard LSVT BIG protocol is an intensive program consisting of:

Four individual treatment sessions per week
Four consecutive weeks
Approximately 60 minutes per session
A total of 16 treatment sessions
Daily home practice and carryover activities

Large, Whole-Body Movements

You will practice specific movements designed to improve movement amplitude, posture, balance, coordination, and body awareness.

BIG Walking

Walking practice focuses on larger steps, improved arm swing, better posture, turning, changing direction, and navigating the environments you encounter in daily life.

Functional Activities

We break down tasks that have become difficult and practice performing them with larger, more deliberate movement.

Rising from a favorite chair
Rolling and repositioning in bed
Getting dressed
Reaching into cabinets
Getting into or out of a vehicle
Moving through doorways
Managing household activities
Swinging a golf club

Personally Meaningful Activities

More complex activities are practiced in a way that reflects your real life. The program may incorporate household mobility, community walking, recreational activities, work-related movements, or other tasks that are especially important to you.

Why Is the Program So Intensive?

LSVT BIG is designed around principles of motor learning and activity-dependent neuroplasticity – the nervous system’s ability to change through focused practice.

Frequent, meaningful, and progressively challenging repetition helps the nervous system learn a new movement strategy and improves the likelihood that it will carry over into daily life.

For that reason, the standard treatment schedule and daily practice are important parts of the program.

LSVT BIG is not intended to be reduced to an occasional exercise session or a worksheet performed without skilled guidance.

Why Work With an LSVT BIG Certified Clinician?

LSVT BIG should be delivered by a physical or occupational therapist who has completed specialized LSVT BIG training and certification.

As an LSVT BIG Certified Clinician, Kimberly DelVecchio has been trained in:

The standardized LSVT BIG treatment protocol
Parkinson’s-specific movement and sensory changes
Movement-amplitude training
Sensory recalibration
Treatment progression and appropriate challenge
Functional task training
Carryover into daily activities
Adapting treatment for different abilities while preserving the integrity of the program

Certification matters because the frequency, intensity, repetition, progression, and functional application of the treatment are essential parts of the program – not optional additions.

The Venice Concierge PT Difference

Kimberly brings more than 30 years of physical therapy experience to every LSVT BIG session.

Her approach combines the structure of the LSVT BIG protocol with a detailed understanding of the whole person. Your posture, balance, walking mechanics, orthopedic history, strength, flexibility, joint restrictions, pain, home environment, and personal goals are all considered when treatment activities are selected and progressed.

Because treatment is provided in your home, you can practice skills where you actually use them. This may include:

Navigating your hallways and doorways
Getting out of your own chairs and bed
Managing your stairs or entryway
Moving safely in the kitchen
Getting into your vehicle
Practicing with a spouse or caregiver
Addressing the environmental challenges that affect your independence

You receive one-on-one attention throughout the entire visit without being passed between providers or asked to perform a generic program on your own.

The Benefits of In-Home LSVT BIG Treatment

In-home treatment allows therapy to address the situations you encounter every day.

Rather than describing the chair that is difficult to rise from or the doorway where your feet hesitate, we can evaluate and practice those activities directly. Treatment may address:

Your own stairs, porch, or entryway
Transfers from your bed and furniture
Movement through narrow hallways
Kitchen and household activities
Outdoor walking around your property
Getting into your vehicle
Safe use of an assistive device
Caregiver cueing and support

Every session is one-on-one and focused on your movement, your goals, and your independence.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

LSVT BIG was developed for people with Parkinson’s disease. It may be appropriate when you or your family have noticed changes in walking, posture, balance, movement size, speed, coordination, transfers,
or everyday activity.

A comprehensive physical therapy evaluation will help determine whether the standard LSVT BIG program is appropriate and identify any additional safety, orthopedic, cardiovascular, cognitive, or mobility
considerations.

LSVT BIG principles may occasionally be considered for individuals with other neurological conditions, but this requires an individualized evaluation and should not be assumed to be appropriate for every diagnosis.

Caregiver and Family Involvement

Family members and caregivers can play an important role in helping new movement strategies carry over into daily life. With the patient’s permission, caregivers may learn:

How to provide helpful cues
How to encourage larger movement without creating frustration
How to support daily practice
How to recognize changes in mobility or safety
How to reinforce independence rather than taking over an activity unnecessarily

Take the First BIG Step

You do not have to wait until movement difficulties become severe to begin addressing them.

An evaluation will identify how Parkinson’s is affecting your movement today and whether LSVT BIG is an appropriate treatment option for you.

Venice Concierge Physical Therapy provides individualized, one-on-one care in the comfort and privacy of your home.

Kimberly DelVecchio, PT, FAFS
LSVT BIG Certified Clinician