Course information
This course will cover the fundamental components to successfully managing dizzy patients of varying complexity including those who have experienced one or more concussions. During the weekend we will unravel complex concussion cases to help athletes and parents make return to play and school decisions. Different paradigms of concussion treatment will be explored to enable the practitioner to resolve symptoms faster by being more specific and focused with their clinical treatment.
Over the course of the weekend participants will learn and review the relevant anatomy of the vestibular system and its relationship to spatial awareness, visual stability, and postural control. We will cover the essential pieces of effective screening, examination and evaluation of the most common vestibular problems while developing a framework that can guide decision-making between peripheral and central nervous system dysfunction patterns without the requirement of expensive technology. We will also cover the most common diagnostic values that may come with a referral for vestibular rehabilitation from other medical professionals such as Otolaryngologists, Neurologists, and Audiologists. We will examine evidence-based treatment interventions for vestibular retraining, adaptation, and substitution strategies needed to recover from vestibulopathy. A review of the most common and effective canalith repositioning maneuvers for the treatment of BPPV will be included. The course will be made up of didactic lecture, lab, and video review of infrared eye recordings.
Target audience
Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy Assistants, Doctors of Medicine, anyone looking to be more awesome ;)
Course Objectives
1. Cover/Review foundational anatomy and physiology of the vestibular system
2. Present the most common vestibular system dysfunctions that PT will encounter and strategies for differently diagnosing effectively.
3. Review the current best evidence including the recently published CPGs for BPPV and Peripheral Vestibular Hypofunction
4. Understand the diagnostic values that may arrive with a patient from medical professionals outside of your office. VNG/ENG, VAT, CDP, Audiogram
5. Recognize common nystagmus variants with infrared camera video review
6. Build a treatment framework incorporating the above concepts to quickly restore function and reduce disability as related to dizziness
Course schedule
Day One
8:00
Foundational principles. What is the Vestibular system and how can it go wrong
10:00
Bedside Screening and correlates to diagnostic testing
Lab 11:00 Bedside Exam
LUNCH
1:00
Review Infrared Videos and discuss types of findings
3:00
Posterior Canal BPPV Pathology and Treatment
4:30
Review
Day Two
8:00
Current Evidence that guides practice
9:30
Lateral Canal BPPV Discussion
10:00
Lateral Canal Lab
11:00
Emerging Concepts in Vestibular Rehabilitation
LUNCH
1:00
Treatment Framework for Visual stability and postural stability dysfunction
3:30
Billing and payment concepts
4:30
Review and questions
speaker bio
RJ Williams is the COO of FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers, Las Vegas and has been practicing physical therapy since 2013. At the start of his career he was heavily focused in the areas of neurological health, specifically vestibular rehabilitation, but has since expanded his skill set to encompass musculoskeletal and wellness prevention services. RJ guest lectures on the topics of vestibular at several PT and PTA programs as well as serving as adjunct facility at Touro University teaching the concepts of vestibular anatomy, pathology, and neurorehabilitation for dizziness disorders. RJ also serves as the Vice President of the Nevada Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association. RJ utilizes his passion for fitness and orthopedics to present a well-rounded and comprehensive approach to the management of vestibular and balance related cases.