Impact of LSVT-BIG ® on functional mobility, walking, dexterity, and quality of life in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the LSVT-BIG ® (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Big) technique on functional mobility, dexterity, and quality of life in Parkinson's disease (PD). Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients with Parkinson's disease (9 males, and 6 females, aged 40-75 years; Hoehn & Yahr Stages I-III) completed a 4-week LSVT-BIG training program for 1 hour/session, 4 sessions per week. Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) was used in measuring patients' quality of life at the beginning (t0) and at the end (t1) of the rehabilitation program. Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) was used for dexterity. 10 Meter Walking Test (10MWT), Timed-Up-and-Go Test (TUG), and Five-Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5XSST) were used for assessing functional mobility. After 4 weeks, all participants were retested. Results: After 4 weeks of LSVT-BIG therapy, a statistically significant improvement was found in PDQ-39 mobility, activities of daily living, emotional state, stigma, cognition, communication, physical discomfort, and general scores after exercise compared to before. There was no statistically significant change in the PDQ-39 social support score after exercise compared to before. In addition, functional mobility improved as indicated by the TUG test, 5XSST, 10MWT (and dexterity by NHPT on the left. Conclusion: LSVT-BIG training may be a new therapeutic option for better walking, functional mobility, and manual capability performance and for enhancing the quality of life in PD. Randomized controlled trials with bigger sizes are needed to evaluate the effect of the LSVT-BIG rehabilitation program on reducing motor and non-motor impairments in patients with PD.