Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation Program

The Marianjoy Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation Program is a specialized form of physical therapy designated to promote habituation and compensation for a wide variety of balance and vestibular disorders. The goal of the program is to improve balance, decrease dizziness and minimize falls by restoring normal vestibular function and postural control.

Typically, the program is designed for patients with vestibular or balance disorders causing any of the following symptoms:

• Vertigo/dizziness
• Frequent falls
• Disequilibrium/unsteadiness
• Gait difficulty
• Ringing in ears and/or hearing loss
• Restrictions of daily activities

There are many causes or reasons why a patient may need a vestibular and balance evaluation. Some of these reasons may include:

• Labyrinthitis-inner ear infection
• Benign Proxsymal Positional Vertigo
• Acute vertigo caused by head trauma or whiplash
• Chronic vertigo caused by chemical or drug toxicity
• Acoustic neuromas
• Meniere’s Disease
• Age-related multi-sensory deficits
• Stroke and vascular insufficiencies

Services

Marianjoy’s Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation program services include any of the following:

• A comprehensive evaluation in vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual system
• Analysis of functional abilities

• Ambulation with head movement, turns and speed changes
• Neuromuscular integrity
• Muscle strength
• Static/dynamic balance when sitting and standing

• A personalized exercise protocol focusing on

• Restoring muscle strength
• Enhancement of eye-head coordination to maintain stable gaze
• Improvement of postural control
• Gait stability

A typical patient will receive 2-3 outpatient therapy sessions per week for approximately 4-6 weeks.

Your care team

On your rehabilitation journey, we use a team approach with you and your family as primary members. Your Marianjoy team will include:

• Physiatrist (physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation)
• Physical Therapist (certified in Vestibular Rehabilitation and training in balance testing and balance correction therapy)
• Care Manager

Attending and consulting physicians are not employed by Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, but are independent physicians with privileges to provide services to patients at our facilities.  The attending physicians are employees of Marianjoy Medical Group, a separate corporation from the hospital. 

For more information

For the best choice in rehabilitation programs and services, please call (630) 909-8000