At all NDBC clinics, you will be evaluated by a physical therapist that has been specially trained and certified in treating dizziness and balance disorders. All of our physical therapists are required to complete our internal certification program prior to treating any patients. This ensures that all patients receive a high continuity of care at all NDBC clinics, and all therapists are properly trained before working with any patients. During your physical therapy evaluation your therapist and your physician will decide if you are appropriate for our services here at NDBC. If appropriate, you will start your treatment by developing your individualized treatment plan at your first physical therapy treatment session.

At NDBC clinics, we currenly offer physical therapy programs for Vestibular Rehabilitation, Neurological Rehabilitation, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), and Flight Simulator Motion Sicknes for Pilots.

For More Information About our Physical Therapy Evaluations and Services, Watch the Video Below:

Physical Therapy Services

PHYSICAL THERAPY EVALUATIONS CONSIST OF FOUR PARTS:

1. Medical history/symptoms evaluation
2. Functional balance evaluation
3. Computerized dynamic posturgraphy (CDP)
4. Head positional testing & treatment for BPPV (if ordered or indicated)


1. MEDICAL HISTORY/EVALUATION
Your physical therapy evaluation will last 60-75 minutes. There are no restrictions in terms of medications or caffeine use prior to your scheduled appointment. We do ask that women DO NOT wear eyeliner or mascara, and no dresses or skirts as it interferes with the safety harness during CDP testing. The physical therapist will take a thorough history of your symptoms and other pertinent medical history to help identify what provokes your symptoms and how often they occur.

2. FUNCTIONAL BALANCE EVALUATION
The Therapist Will Then Evaluate You In The Following Areas:

• Strength
• Flexibility
• Posture
• Coordination
• Walking quality and safety
• Sensation
• Balance (standing & walking)

3. COMPUTERIZED DYNAMIC POSTUROGRAPHY (CDP)
CDP is one of the key tests we use here at NDBC for evaluating balance disorders. CDP can objectively measure a persons three balance sensory inputs at one time, and can provide detailed results on how well each sensory input is functioning independently, and as a balance system.

You will first be tested during your intial evaluation to establish a starting point for your rehabilitation program, and then re-tested during your 30 day re-evaluation. Your therapist can then use your CDP re-test data as a progress indicator which gives your therapist immediate feedback on the overall effectiveness of your Individualized therapy program. This enables your therapist to fine tune your program to achieve the maximum benefit for you.

For a CDP evaluation, you will be asked to stand in the CDP machine without your shoes and keep your balance under various conditions. While being tested, you will be closely monitored by the therapist and you will be harnessed into the support system so there is no chance of you falling.

4. HEAD POSITIONAL TESTING AND TREATMENT FOR BPPV (If ordered or indicated)
To diagnose BPPV, a maneuver called the Dix-Hallpike test is performed while you are wearing video-goggles that track your eye movements. You will first be seated on an exam table with your head turned to one side, you will be quickly moved to a lying position, with your head hanging slightly over the edge of the table. If you have BPPV, this maneuver will induce symptoms and nystagmus (eye jerks) within several seconds, confirming BPPV.

To treat BPPV, the therapist will carefully guide your head and body through a series of rotations designed to reposition displaced otoconia from the semicircular canal to the inner part of the ear were they came from. Once your BPPV is cleared, if you are still having symptoms, we will then proceed to further testing to try and determine your problem.