Balance & Vestibular Program
Our Balance & Vestibular program uses physical therapy to address dizziness, vertigo, and balance disorders, helping patients move confidently and reduce fall risk.
We treat dizziness and vertigo, balance problems and unsteadiness, vestibular disorders including BPPV, post-concussion symptoms, and fall risk in older adults.
Our physical therapists perform vestibular assessments and use evidence-based techniques including canalith repositioning maneuvers, gaze stabilization exercises, balance training, and habituation exercises to reduce symptoms and improve function.
Your Results:
✓ Reduce dizziness and vertigo episodes through targeted vestibular retraining
✓ Improve balance confidence to move safely at home and in the community
✓ Eliminate or significantly reduce fall risk with progressive balance training
✓ Return to daily activities like cooking, shopping, and gardening without fear
Who Is This Program For?
Adults experiencing dizziness, vertigo, balance problems, or those at risk for falls. Common referral sources include ENT physicians, neurologists, and primary care providers.
Delivery Model: Primarily clinic-based — evaluations and treatment in our outpatient clinics
Why Choose Our Balance & Vestibular Program?
Restoring balance, reducing dizziness, and preventing falls
Dual-Setting Care Model
In-clinic PT retrains your vestibular system while virtual OT adapts your real home environment for safety and independence.
Specialized Vestibular Expertise
Our Physical Therapists use evidence-based techniques including canalith repositioning, gaze stabilization, and habituation exercises.
Home Safety Integration
Virtual OT sessions identify real obstacles in your home, lighting, flooring, stairs, for hyper-personalized fall prevention.
Measurable Progress Tracking
We use validated outcome measures to document your improvement and adjust treatment in real time.
Targeted Expertise
Our therapists combine advanced clinical training with compassionate, patient-centered care to deliver specialized treatment through:
BPPV & Vertigo Treatment
Canalith repositioning maneuvers and habituation exercises for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Vestibular Neuritis Recovery
Gaze stabilization and balance retraining after inner ear infection or inflammation.
Meniere's Disease Management
Symptom management strategies and compensatory balance techniques for episodic vertigo.
Fall Prevention Programs
Progressive balance challenges and home safety modifications for age-related balance decline.
Visual Vertigo Therapy
Desensitization to busy visual environments like grocery stores, malls, and social settings.
Post-Concussion Dizziness
Vestibular rehabilitation for persistent dizziness and imbalance following head injury.
Your Treatment Guide
Detailed information about your care plan, what to expect during treatment, and strategies you can use at home.
Treatment Guide
The Balance & Vestibular approach is an innovative, dual-setting rehabilitation program designed to bridge the gap between clinical recovery and real-world function. By integrating Physical Therapy (PT) in a specialized clinic with Occupational Therapy (OT) delivered via Virtual Health into the home, we provide a holistic solution for individuals living with vestibular disorders and balance impairments.
Our interdisciplinary team works in tandem to ensure that the physiological improvements gained in the clinic translate directly into safety, confidence, and independence in your daily life.
The Interdisciplinary Model
This program leverages the unique strengths of both disciplines through a coordinated care plan:
In-Clinic Physical Therapy: Focuses on the physiological drivers of balance. Using specialized equipment, your PT will work on vestibular retraining, gaze stabilization, and advanced gait mechanics to reduce the physical sensation of dizziness.
Virtual Occupational Therapy: Focuses on "skills for living." Your OT meets you where life happens,your home. Through virtual sessions, they assess your actual environment to modify tasks, enhance safety, and integrate compensatory strategies into your specific daily routines.
Program Goals & Objectives
Our primary mission is to return you to a life unhindered by instability. The program is structured around five core pillars:
How the Program Works
Comprehensive Evaluation: You will undergo a dual assessment. The PT evaluates your vestibular function and balance reflexes, while the OT evaluates your home environment and the specific "breakdown points" in your daily routine via a virtual walkthrough that are impacted by your equilibrium challenges.
Integrated Care Planning: Your therapists collaborate regularly to sync your progress. If the PT improves your ability to turn your head without dizziness, the OT applies that gain to helping you safely scan your pantry shelves or check traffic while walking the dog.
Dynamic Treatment:
PT sessions involve habituation exercises, balance challenges, and manual therapy if needed.
OT sessions involve real-time treatment during activities like meal prep or laundry, lighting and environment modifications, and "dizziness-pacing" strategies for social engagement.
Note: Because the OT component is virtual, we are able to see the exact obstacles you face,the height of your tub, the glare on your kitchen floor, or the stairs to your laundry room,allowing for hyper-personalized care that a clinic-only model cannot provide.
Is This Program Right for You?
This program is ideal for individuals experiencing:
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Labyrinthitis or Vestibular Neuritis
Meniere's Disease
Age-related balance decline or "Fear of Falling"
Neurological conditions affecting equilibrium
| Goal Area | Objective | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Home Mastery | Improve quality of life by enhancing the ability to engage in self-care (bathing, dressing), home management (cooking, cleaning), and caretaking roles without fear of falling. | | Community Integration | Build the stamina and visual stability required to navigate busy environments,like grocery stores or parks,without experiencing dizziness or "visual vertigo." | | Functional Mobility | Achieve the ability to transition across various surfaces (carpet, grass, curbs) and environments safely, effectively eliminating the occurrence of falls. | | Symptom Freedom | Achieve "Freedom from Dizziness" during lifetime routines by desensitizing the vestibular system and implementing energy conservation techniques. | | Universal Balance | Improve postural stability across all environments, ensuring you feel grounded whether you are in a controlled clinic or a chaotic public space. |
Patient Story
Patient Success Story: Finding Center Again
The Journey of "Margaret"
This template illustrates how the Balance & Vestibular interdisciplinary approach transforms clinical data into real-life independence.
The Challenge: A World in Motion
Margaret, a 72-year-old grandmother and active gardener, began experiencing "room-spinning" vertigo and persistent unsteadiness after a viral inner ear infection.
Clinical Baseline: Margaret had a high fall-risk score (DGI of 12/24) and reported significant "Visual Vertigo" when walking through aisles at her local grocery store.
Functional Impact: She stopped cooking for herself because looking down at the stovetop caused nausea, and she withdrew from her weekly recreational group due to the dizziness caused by the "visual noise" of the group setting.
The Integrated Plan: Clinic to Kitchen
In-Clinic Physical Therapy (PT): Margaret's PT focused on Vestibular Adaptation. Using specialized equipment, they worked on gaze stabilization (keeping vision clear while moving) and "surface challenges" to retrain her brain to rely on her inner ear rather than just her eyes.
Virtual Occupational Therapy (OT): Simultaneously, Margaret's virtual OT joined her in her kitchen via tablet. They identified that the fluorescent lighting under her cabinets was a major trigger. The OT coached her through "pacing" her meal prep,showing her how to use a "seated station" for chopping and how to turn her whole body rather than just her head when reaching for the pantry. They discussed adapting the fluorescent lights by placing magnetic fabric light covers over them to decrease the flickering.
The Breakthrough: Bridging the Gap
In Week 3, Margaret's PT reported she could successfully walk while turning her head 45 degrees without losing balance. That same afternoon, her Virtual OT used that gain to help Margaret practice "Safe Scanning" in her own hallway, preparing her to navigate the crowded environment of her recreational group.
The Result: Reclaiming the Routine
By Week 6, Margaret's progress mapped directly to our program goals:
Home Mastery: Margaret is back to preparing three meals a day. She uses her OT-recommended "visual anchors" in the kitchen to remain steady.
Community Integration: She returned to her grocery store and recreational group, reporting a Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) score reduction of 22 points (surpassing the clinical goal).
Functional Mobility: Her fall risk score (DGI) improved to 21/24, placing her in the "low-risk" category.
Freedom from Dizziness: She can now garden for 30 minutes at a time, using specialized "head-tilt" techniques taught by the team.
Universal Balance: Whether on the clinic floor or her uneven backyard grass, Margaret feels grounded and confident.
"I didn't just learn how to do exercises in a gym; I learned how to live in my own house again. Having my OT 'there' with me in my kitchen while my PT worked on my balance in the clinic made all the difference.", Margaret
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes balance problems?
Balance issues can result from inner ear disorders (vestibular conditions), neurological conditions, medications, aging, or injury. A thorough evaluation helps identify the specific cause.
How quickly can vertigo improve with therapy?
Many patients with BPPV (the most common cause of vertigo) experience significant improvement in 1-3 sessions. Other vestibular conditions may require several weeks of therapy.
Is vestibular therapy available via telehealth?
Initial evaluations and most vestibular treatments are performed in clinic for safety. Some follow-up exercises and home programs can be guided via telehealth.
Do I need a referral?
Referral requirements depend on your insurance plan. Contact us and we can verify your benefits and referral needs.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact us to learn more about our Balance & Vestibular program or to schedule an evaluation with our expert therapists.