Course Description:

This course is intended for physical therapy, occupational therapy and athletic training practitioners who address balance impairments and work to reduce falls in their patients and communities. This course defines balance and its components, describes how the various balance issues fall into these component categories and categorizes these impairments accordingly. It will outline how to assess balance and interpret the many varied assessment tools available. Taking this information, clinicians will see how to systematically approach balance rehabilitation, including how to prioritize needs, account for patient background and resources, and work towards long term falls reduction. Finally, this course discusses current guidelines for community level fall prevention strategies and how therapists can be more involved with this process.