vestibular physiotherapy
The vestibular system is the collective term for the inner ear balance organs and the brain processing of inner ear balance information.

Vestibular or inner ear conditions can cause various symptoms, including dizziness, vertigo (usually spinning or rocking/tilting sensations), light-headedness, unsteadiness or imbalance, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, and fatigue. Anxiety and depression may also feature or be a result of living with vestibular symptoms.

A range of disorders can impact the vestibular system, resulting in the symptoms described above. These include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), unilateral vestibular loss due to vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis, vestibular migraine, Meniere’s disease, superior canal dehiscence, peri-lymphatic fistula, bilateral vestibular loss, stroke or transient ischaemic attacks (TIA) or concussion/ head trauma to the labyrinth.

Learn more about BPPV
the vestibular system

The inner ear balance organs are located in the fluid-filled labyrinths inside the bones of the skull. The three semicircular canals detect rotational movements of the head and the otoliths (the utricle and saccule) detect linear movement and the position of the head relative to gravity (i.e. determine if you are upright or tilted).

The electrical signals produced by the inner ear balance organs are sent to the brain for processing via the vestibulocochlear nerve. The vestibular system then creates reflexes that coordinate eye and head movements (so we can see clearly when we’re moving) and muscle reflex responses to keep our balance. The vestibular system is vital for proper spatial orientation, clear vision and good balance.

the vestibular system

The inner ear balance organs are located in the fluid-filled labyrinths inside the bones of the skull. The three semicircular canals detect rotational movements of the head and the otoliths (the utricle and saccule) detect linear movement and the position of the head relative to gravity (i.e. determine if you are upright or tilted).

The electrical signals produced by the inner ear balance organs are sent to the brain for processing via the vestibulocochlear nerve. The vestibular system then creates reflexes that coordinate eye and head movements (so we can see clearly when we’re moving) and muscle reflex responses to keep our balance. The vestibular system is vital for proper spatial orientation, clear vision and good balance.

Common Terms Relating to the Inner Ear

vestibular rehabilitation
Vestibular rehabilitation is an exercise-based physiotherapy approach for the treatment of vestibular problems or dizziness symptoms.

It involves an individualised, customised program of exercises that are designed to re-calibrate the balance system. There is good research to show that it can significantly reduce dizziness, improve visual clarity when the head is moving, improve balance and reduce the risk of falls. Regular practice is essential to optimise the results of these exercises. Vestibular rehabilitation programmes may include:

SPECIFIC EXERCISES
TO REDUCE DIZZINESS
EYE-HEAD COORDINATION
EXERCISES
INDIVIDUALISED BALANCE
EXERCISES
STRENGTH
TRAINING
ENDURANCE
TRAINING

EDUCATION ABOUT
CONDITION & MANAGEMENT
SPECIFIC
EXERCISES TO
REDUCE
DIZZINESS
EYE-HEAD
COORDINATION
EXERCISES
INDIVIDUALISED BALANCE
EXERCISES
STRENGTH
TRAINING
ENDURANCE
TRAINING
EDUCATION
ABOUT
CONDITION & MANAGEMENT

Exercises are individually tailored for each client based on the assessment findings and the client’s goals. Most clients are given a home-based exercise programme to practice between physiotherapy reviews.

See clinical practice guidelines for vestibular rehabilitation for peripheral vestibular hypofunction: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26913496/

information sheets
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Select one of the following topics to access it’s downloadable information sheet.
over 20 years experience

Kim graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) in 2001. Since then, she has worked in both the public and private health systems, in Australia and the UK, as a senior physiotherapist with a special interest in neurological and vestibular rehabilitation. Kim is passionate about helping clients with dizziness, vertigo and balance issues to have better symptom control and improved daily functioning. She is an accredited advanced vestibular physiotherapist, having completed the internationally recognised, Basic and Advanced Herdman Vestibular Rehabilitation accreditation courses. She has also completed further extensive postgraduate training in the management of concussion, ataxia and cerebellar disorders, falls prevention, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease. Kim has also completed the Foundation and Level 2 Watson Headache Institute courses and uses these hands-on techniques in addition to home exercise and lifestyle education programmes to manage dizziness associated with neck pain, headache, and migraine.

Kim has recently completed her Master of Philosophy at the University of Sydney. Her four-year part-time study, conducted with the Vestibular Testing Laboratory at the School of Psychology, entitled “Vestibular function and vestibulo-visual sensory integration in people with Parkinson’s disease: a comparison with age-matched controls”, resulted in multiple published peer-reviewed journal papers. The study made significant contributions to understanding the effects of Parkinson’s disease on vestibular reflex pathways.

Kim has presented lectures and workshops for university undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Sydney and London. She has also taught multiple postgraduate vestibular courses. She has also presented vestibular topics at international conferences, including at the Neuro-otological Society of Australia (NOTSA), Movement Disorders Society Congress and Parkinson’s Australia National Conference. Kim is a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and it’s Neurology group, as well as a member of the American Physical Therapy Association’s vestibular special interest group.

Kim’s Published work

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Willoughby NSW 2068

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