Crystal Ramsey, DPT
16 hours; available for 16 continuing education units (CEUs)
April 11 & 12, 2025
8:00 am-5:00 pm ET
Gerald L. Francis Center (Elon School of Health Sciences); 762 E. Haggard Ave., Elon, NC 27244
Course Description
This course is designed for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapists, occupational therapist assistants, and athletic trainers who work with individuals with vestibular disorders in all settings. This course will include lecture and lab-based activities in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and peripheral and central vestibular disorders. The lab activities will allow clinicians to practice cases for assessing and treating BPPV, review the current clinical practice guidelines for peripheral vestibular disorders to skillfully prescribe interventions, and discern between central and peripheral vestibulopathies. Interventions for central disorders such as concussion, stroke, multiple sclerosis, etc., will also be discussed. Treatment strategies for adaptability and integration will be discussed across all patient demographics and rehabilitation settings, including home health, acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient.
This course offers 16 continuing education units (CEUs) for PTs and PTAs. Other disciplines should consult with their licensing board for approval.
Course Features
This two-day course includes the following:
- Review of current research advances in BPPV assessment and intervention.
- Review of current literature on the evaluation and treatment of peripheral vestibular disorders.
- Review of the literature on the evaluation and management of central vestibular disorders.
- Discussion of brain injury-related impairments of balance and vestibular function.
- Over eight hours of lab experience on the assessment and intervention of paid actors presenting with central, peripheral, and mechanical vestibular disorders.
Course Outcomes
By the completion of this course, learners will be able to:
Course Outline
Friday, April 11: Foundations and Assessment
8:00-8:30: Sign in
8:30-8:45: Welcome and Course Introduction
8:45-9:15: Categories of Vestibular Disorders
9:15-10:30: Vestibular Pathophysiology
10:30-10:40: Break
10:40-12:00: Patient Assessment: Differentiation of Central and Peripheral Disorders
12:00-1:00: Lunch on your own
1:00-5:00: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) Assessment and Treatment
Saturday, April 12: Treatment and Rehabilitation
8:00-8:30: Sign in and welcome
8:30-9:30: Comprehensive Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy Exercises
9:30-9:40: Break
9:40-11:00: Peripheral Vestibulopathy Clinical Practice Guideline
11:00-12:00: Peripheral Vestibulopathy Case Examples
12:00-1:00: Lunch on your own
1:00-2:00: Interventions for Central Vestibulopathies
2:00-2:10: Break
2:15-5:00: Putting It All Together: Assessment and Interventions of Standardized Patients
5:00-5:30: Course wrap-up
About the Lead Instructor
Crystal Ramsey, DPT, is a graduate of Elon’s Department of Physical Therapy Education program with over 15 years of clinical experience working with individuals who have neuromuscular injuries or disorders. Dr. Ramsey joined Elon University’s School of Health Science in 2018. As a Board-Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist and Certified Vestibular Therapist, her teaching responsibilities include evaluating and treating individuals with vestibular disorders, brain injuries, or spinal cord injuries. Her research interests and publication history include concussions in service members and brain injuries in older adults. Additionally, she co-authored a third edition of the textbook Mobility in Context. She is pursuing a PhD in human movement sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, concentrating on brain injury/concussion.