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    13 Courses

Susan Whitney

DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Susan L. Whitney received her PhD in motor development/motor learning from the University of Pittsburgh, her professional physical therapy education from Temple University in Philadelphia, and her DPT from MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Currently, she is a professor in physical therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and treats clinically for the Centers for Rehab Services (CRS) Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation Center. Dr. Whitney has authored or coauthored more than 160 articles on Medline, most of which relate to vestibular rehabilitation. She has also coauthored a book related to dizziness and balance disorders.

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Management of Nonsport Injuries: Concussion Across the Life Span

Presented by Anne Mucha, DPT, MS, NCS and Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Management of Nonsport Injuries: Concussion Across the Life Span

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Video Runtime: 63 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 27 Minutes

While there is much published information surrounding athletes and concussion, relatively little is known about how to treat other populations who sustain mild head injury/concussion. Many individuals require therapist management of concussions caused by falls, motor vehicle collisions, work accidents, and other nonsport causes. Physical and occupational therapists who treat patients with nonsport concussions will be exposed to management considerations across the life span, including in older adults. In addition, considerations for return to school, work, and general activity will be discussed. This course is appropriate for any physical or occupational therapist who treats patients with concussion or TBI.

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Concussion Treatment for Vestibular and Oculomotor Profiles

Presented by Anne Mucha, DPT, MS, NCS and Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Concussion Treatment for Vestibular and Oculomotor Profiles

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Video Runtime: 68 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 36 Minutes

There is scant up-to-date information available for clinicians on how to treat individuals with concussion. This work is a significant expansion of what we have done previously, using the most up-to-date evidence for intervention according to clinical profiles. Clinicians will be exposed to management of vestibular and ocular profiles following mild head injury. The course provides many illustrations and video demonstrations of treatment ideas for persons who fit the vestibular and/or oculomotor profiles. Several cases are utilized to illustrate the exercises that are often prescribed and when exercises should be provided during patient management. This course is appropriate for physical and occupational therapists who treat persons post concussion/mild brain injury in all settings.

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Treating Mood, Migraine, and Sleep-Related Problems After Concussion

Presented by Anne Mucha, DPT, MS, NCS and Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Treating Mood, Migraine, and Sleep-Related Problems After Concussion

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Video Runtime: 58 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 27 Minutes

Mood and migraine are among the most common profiles experienced following a concussion and are frequently encountered by therapists. Additionally, sleep, as a modifying factor of concussion, contributes specifically to the persistence of migraine and mood profiles. Through case studies and evidence, practical ideas of how to deal with individuals who have mood, migraine, and sleep impairment are illustrated. The most up-to-date evidence is provided for the chosen interventions to give you a better understanding of how to treat people post concussion who have mood complications, migraine, or sleep disorders that are affecting their recovery. This course is applicable to physical and occupational therapists in any setting who treat persons with concussion/mild traumatic brain injury.

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Concussion Treatment: Medical Management and Cognitive Profiles

Presented by Anne Mucha, DPT, MS, NCS and Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Concussion Treatment: Medical Management and Cognitive Profiles

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Video Runtime: 82 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 30 Minutes

Knowledge of medical and alternative interventions can enhance outcomes of individuals following concussion. Learners will be exposed to the latest evidence related to medications and alternative treatments that have been suggested for concussion treatment. In addition, specific examples of how physical and occupational therapists can approach their role in concussion management are detailed. Finally, learners will be introduced to management of cognitive profiles after concussion with a case discussion that illustrates decision-making. The applicable audience includes physical and occupational therapists in any setting who treat persons with concussion/mild traumatic brain injury.

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Cervical and Exertion Assessment in Concussion

Presented by Anne Mucha, DPT, MS, NCS and Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Cervical and Exertion Assessment in Concussion

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Video Runtime: 96 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 36 Minutes

One of the roles of physical and occupational therapists in concussion management is to return individuals back to their preconcussion activities. For asymptomatic athletes, progressive exertion is an important component of return-to-play assessments. In addition, exertion therapy is being implemented more frequently to facilitate recovery for individuals who are symptomatic after a concussion. While the evidence regarding exertion therapy is continuing to evolve, the latest information related to who can benefit from exertion, possible exercise paradigms, and appropriate timing for exertion are discussed.

Neck pain may be an associated feature of concussion, requiring management by therapists. Dizziness, a common symptom attributed to concussion, may also be due to impairments in the cervical spine. Key cervical examination elements will be demonstrated via video, and ideas for management in the acute, subacute, and chronic phases will be discussed.

The course will conclude with information related to serious negative consequences that have been associated with concussion. Facts about second-impact syndrome (SIS) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) will be discussed to assist therapists in providing the latest evidence-based information to their patients and families who are concerned about these issues.

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Assessment of Headache and Psychiatric Issues in Concussion

Presented by Anne Mucha, DPT, MS, NCS and Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Assessment of Headache and Psychiatric Issues in Concussion

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Video Runtime: 66 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 24 Minutes

Headache is the most common complaint after concussion, affecting up to 85% of individuals. Post-traumatic headaches have various etiologies and may be due to medication overuse or cervicogenic, psychiatric, ocular, and migraine influences. Physical and occupational therapists who manage patients after concussion will benefit from understanding how to differentiate the various types of postconcussive headaches and the management that can be applied.

Mood and psychiatric conditions are also known to affect recovery in persons post concussion. Psychiatric issues occur frequently after a concussion, and therapists must manage these concerns in the course of treatment. The most common mood and psychiatric disorders will be discussed, as well as the role of sleep in recovery after a concussion. We will provide you with tools that can be utilized to assess mood, and intervention ideas for persons with mood or psychiatric comorbidities.

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BPPV and Vestibular Advances in Concussion

Presented by Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

BPPV and Vestibular Advances in Concussion

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Video Runtime: 65 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 27 Minutes

Persons post concussion or mild head trauma can experience benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). It is not clear how frequently BPPV occurs after concussion, yet when BPPV does happen, it can almost always be managed. BPPV after head trauma is more likely to be bilateral. This course will provide learners with the knowledge and skills to be able to recognize what BPPV is and what it is not. Specific information about when to refer to other health providers is included so that the learner can recognize the difference between BPPV and other, more serious medical conditions. Clinical pearls are provided to enhance the care of the persons that clinicians see with BPPV post concussion or mild head injury. The Li maneuver is introduced for managing posterior canal BPPV, especially for persons with neck or back pain, to augment practice skills. An explanation of when vestibular testing is needed and what is included in a full battery of vestibular lab tests is provided to enhance learners' understanding of what happens to patients who are referred to specialists in vestibular disorders. This course is ideal for physical and occupational therapists in any setting where persons with head trauma are seen.

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Fundamentals of Concussion

Presented by Anne Mucha, DPT, MS, NCS and Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Fundamentals of Concussion

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Video Runtime: 78 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 36 Minutes

As many as 3.8 million concussions occur each year in the US due to sports and recreational activity. If one considers concussions from falls and motor vehicle accidents, the numbers are much higher. In this course designed for physical and occupational therapists working with patients following a concussion, the epidemiology, biomechanics, and pathophysiology of the injury are described. Acute management of concussion and indications for imaging are explained with emphasis on sport concussion. The current recommendations regarding return to sports and high-risk activity are discussed. Factors that contribute to a poor prognosis are reviewed to assist you in assessing prognosis and developing a realistic treatment plan. In addition, highlights from the most recent consensus document about concussion in sport and two clinical practice guidelines are provided to update clinicians on the most recent evidence about the care of persons following concussion.

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Concussion Assessment: An Overview

Presented by Anne Mucha, DPT, MS, NCS and Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Concussion Assessment: An Overview

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Video Runtime: 82 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 39 Minutes

Concussions are not all the same. Physical and occupational therapists are frequently involved in evaluating and managing the various symptoms and impairments experienced after a concussion. However, this management should be customized based on one's individual clinical presentation and comorbid factors that affect outcome. Classifying clinical presentations following a concussion has gained increasing acceptance and is valuable in determining optimal interventions in an injury that presents diversely. Understanding neurocognitive abilities can assist in your management of individuals after a concussion and help you determine when the person is ready for return to work and play. Another important role for therapists who work with patients after a concussion is in the screening and recognition of common vestibular and oculomotor impairments that occur after the injury. This course will give PTs and OTs exposure to the most important components of the postconcussion examination.

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Balance Examination in Concussion

Presented by Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Balance Examination in Concussion

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Video Runtime: 38 Minutes, Learning Assessments: 18 Minutes

One of the hallmarks of concussion management is the assessment of balance and postural control. Within the first seven days post concussion, there is strong evidence that balance can be assessed with low-technology methods such as the Balance Error Scoring System, which was designed to detect balance problems in athletes post concussion. Recent evidence is summarized about the use of dual-tasking during gait in younger and older retired athletes that suggests that longer-term balance deficits can be identified with the use of technology. Accelerometers, cell phones, and motor capture detect balance and gait differences long after one to two weeks in persons who have experienced a concussion or mild head trauma. Balance tools that are currently being utilized in the clinic are reviewed, and new technologies for the assessment of balance in persons post concussion will be demonstrated in videos.

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Recent Advances in Treatment and Diagnosis of Posterior Canal BPPV

Presented by Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Recent Advances in Treatment and Diagnosis of Posterior Canal BPPV

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Course one provides learners with an overview of the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of posterior canal BPPV. This course is pertinent to physical therapists and occupational therapists across any setting that treat persons with balance and vestibular disorders. Children can also develop BPPV, although it is most seen associated with either migraine or head trauma after the age of six. Morphology of the otoconia will be described in humans. In addition, an overview will be provided of the evidence and "clinical pearls" related to the treatment of persons with posterior canal BPPV. The learner will be exposed to the emerging evidence related to BPPV plus the recent clinical practice guideline recommendations for posterior canal BPPV.

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Recent Advances in Treatment and Diagnosis of Horizontal Canal BPPV

Presented by Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

Recent Advances in Treatment and Diagnosis of Horizontal Canal BPPV

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The learner will be provided with an overview of the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of horizontal canal BPPV. The course is appropriate for physical and occupational therapists who treat persons with dizziness. Generally, dizziness occurs across the life span, although BPPV is rarely seen in children until at least six years of age. Horizontal canal BPPV is seen in anywhere from 5-10% of the total cases of BPPV. Persons experience intense vertigo and often nausea with HC-BPPV. The latest theories and treatment strategies of canalithiasis and cupulolithiasis will be discussed, with differential diagnosis emphasized. Theories about canal jam and the newest treatment strategies will be described in detail with case examples provided.

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New Advances in Vestibular Rehabilitation

Presented by Susan Whitney, DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA

New Advances in Vestibular Rehabilitation

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This course will describe the latest advances in vestibular rehabilitation from around the globe, and will provide the learner with ideas about why their patients do not get better. The course is designed for physical and occupational therapists who treat persons with balance and/or vestibular disorders. Treatment ideas might also be helpful for persons who are physical therapist assistants and COTAs. The information shared in this course is appropriate in any clinical setting as persons with dizziness and balance disorders are seen across settings. Examples of virtual reality devices, infrared googles, and novel treatment paradigms will be shared. In addition, new testing methods will be described that can help to optimize intervention. A discussion of the negative prognostic factors related to recovery will be provided with case examples to help clinicians' better goal set and develop their treatment plan.

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