Duffy (2013) defines speech intelligibility as the “degree of accuracy with which a listener recovers the acoustic signal or message produced by a speaker.” Kent (1992) considers intelligibility as the paramount issue in speech pathology, “the behavioral standard of communication.”
Speech intelligibility can be severely reduced in Parkinson’s disease (PD); it can be among the main concerns of people with PD (Miller et al., 2007). The validity and reliability in assessing speech intelligibility in PD may be affected by several factors.
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If you are a physical (PT) or occupational therapist (OT) working with older adults or neuro populations, you are most likely familiar with LSVT BIG® treatment approach, which is built on a very specific treatment dose: 60‑minute, individual sessions, 4 days per week for 4 weeks, for a total of 16 visits. This “dose” is not a preference or arbitrary in nature; it is the parameter used in the research on LSVT BIG that results in clinically significant improvements in amplitude, gait, and functional mobility in people with Parkinson’s.
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Research studies are fantastic. They give us the evidence we need to justify treatment choices, advocate for clients, and feel confident in what we’re doing. But let’s be real, reading a research article and actually implementing an approach with your own caseload are two very different things.
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If you’re an ortho or sports physical therapist (PT), Parkinson’s disease (PD) may seem like a “neuro” issue—important, but not your primary focus. Yet many patients you treat for rotator cuff tears, arthritis, lumbar pain, and sports injuries either already have PD or will develop it during your career. You may be one of the first professionals who can spot early signs and change their long-term trajectory.
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We are thrilled to share the news that the manuscript “Harmonic Amplitude Differences Before and After Voice Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease and Their Relationship to Voice Quality and Speech Intelligibility” is now ‘in press’ in the Journal of Voice!
We asked one of the authors, Dr. Michael Cannito, to summarize the article by sharing his perspectives. Plus, all of the authors share their thoughts through a quote. The entire manuscript can be accessed by the here.
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When working with individuals diagnosed with Down syndrome, physical therapy often focuses on more than just movement—it’s about building confidence, independence, and quality of life. This case study highlights the progress of one patient who began therapy in June 2025 with concerns about balance, functional mobility, and endurance.
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When we think about speech treatment for children with cerebral palsy (CP), familiar challenges often come to mind: reduced loudness, imprecise articulation, monotone pitch and communication breakdowns that limit their real-world participation. Many of us have also felt the frustration of seeing progress in the therapy room that doesn’t always carry over to daily life.
Continue Reading →Rewiring the Brain, One LOUD Voice at a Time: Neuroplasticity based speech treatment for Parkinson’s
Twenty years ago, a paper in Seminars in Speech and Language described a new way to think about speech treatment in Parkinson’s disease: use principles of neuroplasticity to drive lasting change in voice and communication. That work grew out of clinical research in the late 1980s at the Lee Silverman Center for Parkinson’s in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Dr. Lorraine Ramig and speech-language pathologist Carolyn Mead Bonotati focused on a simple question: could intensive, targeted voice training help the brain reorganize itself to support better communication?
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When time is at a premium and the costs of professional PT, OT and SLP programs are at an all-time high, many students wonder if investing in LSVT Certification is truly worth it. To help you decide, we want to share a summary of insights with you from the more than 1,200 students who took the plunge last year.
In this article, we examine how earning your LSVT BIG or LSVT LOUD certification while you are still a student can be a strategic way to stand out in a crowded job market while also strengthening the clinical reasoning that supports passing your board exams.
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2025 was another incredible year of learning, discovery, and connection across the LSVT community. From lively discussions on the latest Parkinson’s research to inspiring clinician spotlights and personal stories, our webinars and podcasts brought expert insights and real-world impact to thousands of viewers around the world. In this roundup, we’re celebrating the most-watched LSVT webinars and podcasts of 2025 — the sessions that resonated most with our audiences and continue to inspire!
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