Course Description:

It has been estimated that 65% of individuals older than 60 years of age experience dizziness or loss of balance, often daily. By the age of 75, next to lumbar pain, dizziness disorders are the primary reason patients go to their medical provider. One in three people will experience dizziness or imbalance during their lifetime. In the US, the estimated cost of medical care for patients with balance disorders exceeds $1 billion annually. Nonspecific disequilibrium affects about 1/3 of people over the age of 75. It has been found in the literature that physical therapy can be very beneficial for the treatment of dizziness disorders. The purpose of this course is to prepare the physical therapist and physical therapist assistant using an evidence-based evaluation and treatment paradigm focusing on the seven (7) most common balance and vestibular disorders seen in a physical therapy balance center program. This is the Level II, or Intermediate Course, in a Series of Three Levels to assist the practitioner in learning the material in a sequenced fashion.