• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  None (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• 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 (for Overall)
• 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 (for Overall)
• 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 (for Overall)
• 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 (for Overall) (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 (for Overall) (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