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Monday, October 22, 2018

Wellsville - Jones Memorial Hospital Therapists now certified to treat Parkinsons patients


WELLSVILLE, NY (October 22, 2018) – Jones Memorial Hospital now has two physical therapists who are certified in LVST BIG, an exercise treatment program for people with Parkinson's disease. Christy Hart, PT, and Scott Szalay, PTA, recently completed the training and are now able to provide this intense therapy program.
Often people with Parkinson’s have slower and smaller steps and gestures. “Their brain perceives these small movements as regular, normal movements,” explained Christy. “In LVST BIG, we are teaching them to make what feels to them like big movements, but which in reality look like normal movements. We are retraining their brain to think BIG.”
The program is fairly rigid and includes four sessions a week for four weeks. “There are also exercises that the patient does every day daily at home,” said Scott. “Improving their function and movements takes commitment from the patient – they have to do their ‘homework’ to succeed.”
Traditional PT for Parkinson's generally aims to improve flexibility, strength or balance. These help actions like getting up from a chair, turning over in bed, or walking, but they require patients to remember multiple instructions for each movement. “In LSVT, patients focus thinking BIG and focus on strength, movement, balance, coordination, and function,” said Christy. “Once the brain is recalibrated to accept these big gestures as normal, there is improved function in other daily tasks.” The LVST BIG program often leads to improved walking with faster speed, bigger steps, improved balance and movement quality with bigger and more controlled movements to increase independence with dressing, self-care, cooking and mobility.
For more information, talk to your provider or call the JMH Rehabilitation Services Department at (585) 596-4011.