• Effectiveness

  Major (for loss of balance)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Advice & Tips: I found out I was not walking correctly and this made me "tippy". BIG is an intense program. My PT identified my issues and applied the process with regard to many of my daily activities. To continue the exercises on my own takes a lot of discipline. I tend to alternate all the various physical activity to what I think needs the most work.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  None (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 240 min Weekly

Advice & Tips: I have now introduced a friend (who does NOT have PD) to these exercises & she does them with me about 3 x per week. I do about 20 reps of each exercise now, an increase from the 8 that are required. My balance is better while I am doing them but I still have PD symptoms as before. But perhaps I am not getting any worse.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 240 min Weekly

Advice & Tips: I continue these exercises almost every morning and I have even increased the number of reps from 8 each to 10 each & 2 of the exercises to 15. I still don't notice any improvement in anythingn , except that I am able to do these few more reps. I still forget them on occasion but not often. I plan to continue doing them forever and hope for an obvious change for the better.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 240 min Weekly

Advice & Tips: I am now doing these exercises on my own.  Some days I don't want to do them but I have a routine when I arise in the morning that includes LSVT Big.  It takes me all of 15 minutes to do the exercises and I am getting better at doing them, but I am still very clumsy and almost lose my balance often.  I remember the exercises without looking at my paperwork.  I can usually complete the exercises w/o stopping to catch my breath.  At first this was not the case!  I would like to build my stamina but this has not happened yet.  I will keep it up hoping that it will slow the progression of PD.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 240 min Weekly

Advice & Tips: I did the exercises faithfully during the program but now that it is over I skipped 2 days. The exercises are not difficult (I do tend to lose my balance, though) so I have no excuse for slacking off. I find that I am able to execute the exercises much better now than at first, but there has been no earth shattering improvement in my PD symptoms. And the reduction in back pain that I so eagerly awaited never happened. I still experience disabling low back pain after being on my feet for 20 min to 1/2 hour. That has not changed much. My Physical Therapist did teach me many other little things to do beyond the LSVT Program: use ear plugs to block out my husband's snoring (HUGE help to me!); stretching exercises; pelvic tilts & Bridge (yoga pose) to strengthen my low back; A wheeled walker (rollator) when going for long walks (remarkably helpful-I got it because it had a seat so I could sit during a long walk, but it turned out that all I really needed was the handle bars to help keep me upright and to lean on. I can now walk the 6/10th mile trip to the mailbox and back w/o needing to sit); she has encouraged me to return to belly dancing, doing the steps I am still able to execute. I had given it up completely due to my clumsiness. But I have found several steps I can still manage and those I will continue with. I had belly danced for over 25 years and loved it. I guess overall the LSVT Program was worth the effort, but I am disappointed that I didn't see more improvement.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  None (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  Mild (temporary increased pain)
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 240 min Weekly

Advice & Tips: It has only been 1 week since I began this new regimen of exercise but I have experienced definite improvement in my ability to get out of a chair & get in & out of my car. I also learned a better way to get my jacket on without help. I am trying to increase my stamina by just plain walking. I have noticed a very slight improvement there. I look forward to more.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  Moderate (temporary increased pain)
• Adherence

  Sometimes
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 240 min Weekly

Advice & Tips: I am not sure how well I will do at following the regimen (1 hr x 4days/wk x 4 weeks). I hate exercise. But I improved my movement immediately after doing the exercises the first time. That is a good incentive. Also, the therapist will come to my home for every session. You can't beat that for handy! And my insurance covers it! If I can reduce the pain in my back so that I can cook more & do more housework faster, it will make an enormous difference in my life.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for voice changes)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 30 min Daily

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for voice changes)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 30 min Daily

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for voice changes)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Sometimes
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 0.3 hr Daily

• Effectiveness

  Major (for voice changes)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Sometimes
• Burden

  Very hard to take

Dosage: 0.3 hr Daily

Advice & Tips: The vocal exercises really work which keeps me doing it, even though infrequently