The Vestibular System – a Clinical Focus for Athletic Trainers and Healthcare Providers Webinar

Athletic trainers are often exposed to patients or clients who exhibit symptoms indicative of dysfunction to the vestibular system such as unsteadiness or instability. Unfortunately, current educational competencies are not specifically directed at anatomy or physiology of the inner ear, nor do current competencies address vestibular-based medical conditions. Whereas these vestibular symptoms could be cortical (i.e. brain) or vestibular (i.e. labyrinth) in nature, it is important for athletic trainers to be familiar with not only the anatomy and physiology of the vestibular system, but also be able to recognize the more common vestibular conditions so as to be able to differentiate true vestibular-based disorders from other medical conditions (e.g. concussion) that may exhibit similar symptoms yet require vastly different treatment protocols. In that the field of athletic training continues to expand into non-traditional settings such as geriatrics and/or family practice that deal with patients who are likely to suffer from vestibular-based conditions, it is vital that athletic trainers be able to recognize these conditions as well as understand the most effective treatments for these relatively common conditions.