Parkinson’s affects the nervous system, resulting in smaller and slower movements that alter balance, coordination and posture. Fine motor skills, such as buttoning a shirt or writing, or gross motor skills, such as walking, getting into bed, or rising from a chair, become increasingly challenging.
While there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s, there is therapy that can improve the symptoms. A specialized physical therapy program known as LSVT BIG — available now at Saint Anne’s Hospital — teaches patients over the course of four intensive weeks how to develop “bigger” movements that can enable them to use their bodies more easily and effectively for everyday activities, like walking, self-care, and other physical activities.