785-623-5691 or 866-623-5607
2500 Canterbury Drive
Hays, KS 67601 | Directions
Monday – Thursday 7am – 6pm
Friday 7am – 4:30 pm
Vestibular Balance Training
Balance is one of the most essential and automatic functions in life. It is the key for humans in our relationship to gravity and our environment. Loss of balance can have serious consequences. Psychological trauma and fear of falling produce a downward spiral of self-imposed activity reduction which leads to loss of strength, flexibility and mobility. With treatment, balance can be improved and allow individuals to resume more normal activity levels in their home and community.
This program was developed for those individuals who are experiencing balance-related disorders to the point that it is adversely affecting their lives.
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy is used to treat symptoms of dizziness, vertigo, disequilibrium, and motion sickness. A specially trained vestibular physical therapist will perform an evaluation to help determine the cause of your symptoms and provide you with a treatment plan to address your needs.
Treatments may include canalith repositioning techniques (such as the Epley maneuver), balance training to improve fall risk, eye and head movement exercises, habituation exercises to address dizziness and imbalance, strengthening and exercises for posture. We also utilize two computerized machines (Balance Master and VSR Sport with Invision) that measure your balance and the effectiveness of your vestibular system. Once the data is analyzed we use this equipment to perform balance and vestibular training.
Vestibular rehabilitation may help to improve symptoms associated with inner ear disorders such as BPPV (positional vertigo), neuritis, Meniere’s disease, concussion, stroke, traumatic brain injury, MS, cervicogenic dizziness (dizziness associated with neck movement) or general imbalance.
Who can benefit from vestibular rehabilitation therapy?
Patients who suffer from a spinning sensation, light-headedness, dizziness, poor tolerance to position changes or head movements, imbalance, depth perception difficulties, spatial awareness, frequent falls, or have difficulty tolerating busy environments.
What can you expect from your first visit and evaluation?
A specialized physical therapist will meet with you to discuss your symptoms and your medical history. An evaluation of your vestibular system will be completed, which includes observation of your eye movements while sitting and when moving between positions. If needed, we will assess your tolerance to different positions to provoke your symptoms. Your evaluation may also include a balance screening, muscle strength testing, assessment of your range of motion of your neck, observation of daily activities, and posture if necessary. We may also utilize our two balance computer systems to fully assess your vestibular systems response.
How long will it take to see results?
Your therapist may recommend that you attend physical therapy 1-2 times per week depending on the presence of your symptoms. This may vary based on the cause of your symptoms and the ability to perform exercises at home or unsupervised. Depending on the cause of your dizziness, you may feel improved over 1-2 visits or you may see a steady improvement over the course of 6-8 weeks. Your physical therapist will create an individualized treatment plan to address your symptoms following your evaluation and will discuss this with you at that time.
Please call 785-623-5691 to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist from our vestibular rehabilitation team. Please avoid taking medications issued to reduced dizziness for 24 hours prior to your evaluation. For your safety, it is our recommendation that vestibular patients attend their appointments with a driver in case that dizziness occurs.