Woman Regains Mobility After Parkinson’s Diagnosis Through Specialized Therapy at Jackson North

By: Krysten Brenlla

Sandra Senkow has always embraced an active lifestyle – she loves the outdoors, riding bikes, and spending time with her family.

Two years ago, Senkow’s life took an unexpected turn when she began experiencing symptoms that would later lead to a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

“It all started after knee surgery when my boyfriend noticed subtle changes in my movements,” Senkow said.

With a family history of Parkinson’s, the 59-year-old was concerned. She sought medical advice, undergoing a series of tests before receiving a definitive diagnosis.

The news was a shock, but Senkow was determined to face the challenge head-on.

“My symptoms primarily affected my walking,” she said. “My aunt had Parkinson’s disease, so when I got the diagnosis, I knew I needed to be proactive to manage the condition.”

With the help of her family, Senkow explored various treatment options, including Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT), a specialized, high-intensity program designed to help people with Parkinson’s improve their movement and speech by retraining the brain with specific repetitive exercises.

After some research, her family found the LSVT program at Jackson North Medical Center, where she met her physical therapist, Sabrina Cherelus.

“When I first saw Sandra, she exhibited common Parkinson’s symptoms, including rigidity, slowed movement, and walking impairments, like uneven steps,” Cherelus said. “Although she hadn’t experienced falls, she was still a fall risk. That’s when we decided LSVT BIG would be a great intervention for her.”

LSVT BIG is a program designed to help patients with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions regain movement control. Over the course of four weeks— four sessions per week— Senkow worked with physical therapists on different exercises, which incorporated seven daily exercises that were tailored to her needs.

“The LSVT BIG exercises are designed to retrain the brain and create new pathways to compensate for Parkinson’s-related impairments,” Cherelus said. “Sandra was incredibly consistent and motivated. She kept up with her home exercises and always came in ready to show her progress.”

By the end of her therapy, Senkow had achieved measurable results. She transitioned from a medium fall risk to a low fall risk, regained her natural walking ability, and returned to walking four to five miles regularly.

“It was night and day from when she started,” Cherelus said. “She not only met her goals, but also gained a tool to manage her symptoms. Parkinson’s is a lifelong condition, but with science, technology, and therapy, we can help patients maintain their mobility and independence for longer.”

“I want to keep Parkinson’s at bay as long as I can by staying active and using the techniques they taught me,” Senkow added. “The therapy was fantastic, and Sabrina was great. I’d tell anyone with Parkinson’s to sign up for LSVT—it makes a real difference.”