Seminar Description
The goal of this program is to enhance the physical therapists ability to diagnosis, examine, and intervene using sound evidence in persons presenting with dizziness and/or balance disorders. Lab practice will be provided so that the practitioner has an opportunity to practice various skills commonly used when treating persons with vestibular dysfunction. All participants should be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and should start to feel comfortable with the examination and intervention skills for persons presenting with vestibular dysfunction. Cases will be discussed related to diagnosis and management of persons with vestibular disorders.
- Understand the anatomy and physiology of the vestibular system with its peripheral and central connections and to be able to differentiate peripheral from central vestibular dysfunction
- Understand the various tools that are used to help make the medical diagnosis in persons with vestibular disorders
- Discuss evidence based management interventions regarding vestibular disorders
- Recognize horizontal and posterior canal BPPV and to be able to effectively treat the condition
- Be able to apply, when needed, various examination skills that are necessary to successfully evaluate a person with a balance or vestibular disorder
- Develop strategies of how to classify patients based on their functional impairments, i.e. balance disorders, dizziness, or balance plus dizziness dysfunction
About Dr. Susan L. Whitney
Susan L. Whitney, PT, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA received her PhD in motor development/motor learning from the University of Pittsburgh and her professional physical therapy education from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. She received her doctor of physical therapy from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of the Health Professions. Currently, she is a professor in physical therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and in the Department of Otolaryngology in the School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh. She is the Program Director of the Centers for Rehab Services (CRS) Vestibular Rehabilitation Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Dr. Whitney practices physical therapy one day a week for CRS. She currently studies the use of virtual reality for persons with vestibular dysfunction. She has published over 90 papers that are referenced on Medline and has written over 25 book chapters, primarily in the area of functional balance assessment and vestibular rehabilitation. She recently co-wrote a book entitled “Vestibular Disorders: A case study approach to diagnosis and treatment”. She has clinically worked in out-patient and long-term care, acute care, and rehabilitation for the past 30 years. Dr. Whitney is past President of the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association and was a member of the BPPV guideline task for of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.
Schedule (can be subject to change)
Day 1
8:00 Anatomy, physiology, and lab testing for persons with vestibular disorders: How do lab results affect your intervention and clinical decision making?
10:00 Break
10:15 Differential diagnosis and practice of key clinical skills that can be used with patients presenting to the clinic with complaints of balance/dizziness/vertigo
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Examination of the person with a vestibular disorder: eye movements/tests of balance (Videos and lab practice)
3:00 Break
3:15 Evidence related to the performance of vestibular rehabilitation: How does it work, under what circumstances, and in which diagnostic group?
5:00 Adjourn
Day 2
8:00 Interventions for the person with vestibular dysfunction: What exercises should be prescribed?
9:00 Diagnostic decision making for persons with vestibular disorders: Interaction with the instructor using typical cases
10:15 Differential diagnosis and practice of key clinical skills that can be used with patients presenting to the clinic with complaints of balance/dizziness/vertigo
10:30 Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Differential diagnosis and intervention for posterior, horizontal, and superior canal BPPV
12:00 Lunch break on your own
1:00 Videos and lab practice of the Dix-Hallpike, the cannalith repositioning maneuver, the roll test, the Brandt-Daroff exercise, the horizontal canal repositioning maneuver, the head thrust test, vibration induced nystagmus, extra ocular eye movements, and the head shake test.
3:00 Break
3:15 Evidence of the effectiveness of interventions for persons with BPPV and the latest evidence about post treatment instruction and the incidence of BPPV
5:00 Adjourn
