Vestibular Physical Therapy for Dizziness and Balance

Dizziness and balance disorders can be extremely debilitating, and can make even simple daily activities such as cooking or showering a huge challenge.

There has been an increasing awareness in recent years of the many potential benefits of physical therapy in this population. Many people are aware of what physical therapy looks like for someone with a sprained ankle, or a broken wrist, but what does therapy for dizziness and balance entail?

Vestibular therapists use an array of exercises and re-education strategies to strengthen the input and associated reflexes of the other systems that contribute to balance and equilibrium. This includes input from the visual system and proprioceptive input from the peripheral joints. Details can be found in our recent blog.

Vestibular rehab can be valuable in treating a number of dizziness and balance disorders including:

•   Vestibular neuritis

•   Disuse disequilibrium/ fear of falling

•   Menier's disease

•   Vascular events (stroke, TIA)

•   Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)

•   Vestibular Migraine

•   Concussion

•   Cervicogenic dizziness (dizziness stemming from the neck)

•   Mal de Débarquement (disequilibrium following sea travel)

•   Other vestibular disorders