LSVT BIG is a standardised physiotherapy programme developed specifically for people with Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s tends to reduce the size of movement over time — steps get shorter, reaching gets smaller, everyday actions shrink without the person noticing. LSVT BIG trains the opposite: larger, more purposeful movement, practised until it starts to feel normal again.
It is one of the more researched physiotherapy protocols for Parkinson’s, and it is delivered only by clinicians certified in the method.
Giri Srinivasan, Registered Physiotherapist and clinic owner at In Step Physical Therapy, is a certified LSVT BIG clinician. The full protocol is delivered at our Edmonton clinic.
LSVT BIG follows a set structure rather than a loose plan:
The intensity is deliberate and it is a real commitment. We discuss whether it fits your circumstances before starting.
Individual response varies. Assessment determines whether LSVT BIG is appropriate for you, and we will say so if another approach would suit you better.
LSVT BIG addresses movement. Its companion programme, LSVT LOUD, addresses voice and speech volume and is delivered by a speech-language pathologist. The two are separate programmes and some people benefit from both.
See our speech-language pathology page for the voice and communication side.
LSVT BIG is designed for people with Parkinson’s disease. It is most often used in the early and middle stages, though suitability is individual and determined at assessment rather than by stage alone.
Your physician remains central to managing your Parkinson’s. LSVT BIG sits alongside that care rather than replacing any part of it.
See also our Parkinson’s rehabilitation and neurological physiotherapy pages.
The standard protocol is four sessions a week for four weeks, sixteen one-to-one sessions, with daily home practice alongside. The structure is fixed because that intensity is part of what the programme relies on.
No referral is required to see a physiotherapist in Alberta. Some insurance plans request one before reimbursing, so it is worth checking your plan.
It is often used in earlier and middle stages, but suitability is individual and determined at assessment rather than by stage alone.
LSVT BIG addresses movement and is delivered by a physiotherapist. LSVT LOUD addresses voice and speech and is delivered by a speech-language pathologist. They are separate programmes and some people do both.
The programme is delivered one-to-one at the clinic. Home practice between sessions is part of the protocol and we will show you exactly what to do.
Many extended health plans include physiotherapy. Coverage for a sixteen-session programme varies by plan, so we recommend checking your limits before starting. We can explain what applies.
Real reviews from patients of In Step Physical Therapy on Google.
Call (587) 409-1754 or use the form above. We will talk through whether LSVT BIG fits your situation and what the four-week commitment involves.
