Knowledge of Physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia About Lee Silverman Voice Treatment BIG Therapy for Parkinson's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a widespread and challenging to diagnose the neurological condition. Tremor, rigidity, and slowness of movement are all symptoms of Parkinson's disease, which is caused by gradual neuronal loss in the substantia nigra and other brain areas. Physical therapy has the ability to enhance walking, balance, muscle strength, and fall reduction, according to growing evidence. The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment BIG (LSVT BIG) therapy is a Parkinson's disease rehabilitation approach. LSVT BIG therapy enables people with Parkinson's disease to utilize their bodies more normally. Purpose. The purpose of this study is to see how much knowledge physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia have about LSVT BIG therapy. Method. A cross-sectional study utilizing a survey to assess the knowledge of physical therapists in Saudi Arabia. It was disseminated via WhatsApp to one thousand physical therapists. The main outcomes were the extent of awareness regarding the LSVT Big method for individuals with Parkinson's disease. Data analysis. Statistical Package for Social Studies was used to analyze the data. The Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used for categorical variables. Results. In the current study, 263 male and female physical therapists completed the survey, males represented 63.9% of the participants, and 62% were in the age group of 24 to 30 years.  The majority (84.8%) were Saudi. Only 12.5% of the physical therapists in this study were aware of the LSVT-Big therapy, and only 30.3% have ever attended the course or received a certificate. Conclusion. In Saudi Arabia, physical therapists had limited awareness and knowledge about the LSVT BIG therapy. Additional effort is required to train physical therapists about the benefits of the LSVT BIG therapy and how to use it with Parkinson's patients.