Balance Foundations 101
An introductory balance course | Covering the science of balance, balance terminology, & available technology
Patients with balance and mobility disorders can be complex to treat, given the interaction of pathology with functional limitation, impairment, and disability. Focusing on pathology alone can be suboptimal, given the fact that patients with similar pathologies can present with different limitations and impairments.
Using technology to quantify the impact of impairments on a patient’s ability to perform mobility tasks allows the clinician to begin to isolate and differentiate motor system and sensory impairments. By doing so, the clinician can build a management model that will result in greater patient motivation and targeted therapeutic solutions.
This course is part #1 of a three-part series (Balance Foundations 101 + Balance Foundations 201 + Balance Foundations In-Person Lab).
By the end of Balance Foundations 101, you will be able to:
- Define key balance terms
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic scientific balance concepts
- Recognize the impact of the science of balance on the development of advanced balance system technology
- Identify options of available balance system technology
- Explain the role of advanced balance assessments in the holistic treatment of a balance patient
- Organize balance assessments into their appropriate categories
Having a basic understanding of the science of balance and the landscape of available balance technology can enable the clinician to bring his/her balance practice to a new level. Utilizing technology to objectively isolate and quantify balance impairments can allow for optimal patient outcomes.
Course Curriculum
-
StartCHAPTER ONE - WELCOME (5 mins.)
-
StartCHAPTER TWO - INTRODUCTION TO BALANCE (1 hr. 5 mins.)
-
StartINTRODUCTION TO BALANCE - DISCUSSION FORUM
-
StartCHAPTER THREE - BALANCE ASSESSMENT TECHNOLOGY (25 mins.)
-
StartBALANCE ASSESSMENT TECHNOLOGY DISCUSSION FORUM
-
StartCHAPTER FOUR - ASSESSMENTS IN CONTEXT (45 mins.)
-
StartASSESSMENTS IN CONTEXT DISCUSSION FORUM
-
StartCHAPTER FIVE - CDP PATIENT TRAINING OVERVIEW (10 mins.)
-
StartCHAPTER SIX - IN CONCLUSION (5 mins.)
-
StartEnd of Course Quiz (20 minutes)
-
StartCourse Evaluation Form
Get started now!
Your Instructor
Shelly Massingale is a Physical Therapist and is a specialist in vestibular and balance therapy. Shelly has been practicing physical therapy in the outpatient neurological setting for 22 years and has specialized primarily in mild traumatic brain injury since 2013. She graduated from Pepperdine University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Medicine and holds a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California. She has completed the Emory University Vestibular competency and advanced competency courses and has been treating vestibular and balance disorders since the beginning of her career. Since opening the Banner Sports Medicine and Concussion Center in 2013, she has focused her treatment and research solely on concussion. She is a co-developer of the Concussion Balance Test (COBALT) and has published articles that explored the utility of COBALT as an objective measurement of balance for the healthy and injured athletic population. She has authored two book chapters, three additional peer reviewed journal articles focusing on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo and vestibular therapy for vestibular disorders, and has lectured nationally and internationally on evaluation and treatment of vestibular and balance deficits related to mild traumatic brain injury.