What Is VRT? Understanding Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy After a Concussion

What Is VRT? Understanding Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy After a Concussion

If you’re dealing with dizziness, balance issues, or motion sensitivity after a concussion or car accident, you may have been told you need VRT — but what exactly is it?

VRT stands for Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy, a specialized form of physical therapy that helps retrain the brain and inner ear after injury. At our Kansas City concussion clinic, Dr. Lance Stevenson, DC uses VRT to help patients recover from post-concussion symptoms that just won’t go away with rest alone.

What Does the Vestibular System Do?

Your vestibular system is your body’s internal GPS. It’s made up of structures in your inner ear, brainstem, cervical spine, and eye muscles, all working together to:

• Maintain balance

• Stabilize vision during movement (via the VOR)

• Sense head and body position

• Coordinate motion and posture

After a concussion or whiplash injury — especially from a car accident — this system can become disrupted, causing persistent symptoms like:

• Dizziness or vertigo

• Nausea with motion

• Difficulty walking in busy environments

• Sensitivity to light or sound

• Brain fog and fatigue after visual tasks

• Anxiety triggered by movement

What Is Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT)?

VRT is a customized exercise-based program designed to:

• Reduce dizziness and motion sensitivity

• Improve balance and coordination

• Restore visual clarity during movement

• Retrain how the brain processes movement and head position

• Help you feel more confident walking, driving, or working again

VRT isn’t just general physical therapy. It’s a targeted neurological approach based on how the inner ear, eyes, and body work together — especially important after concussion, whiplash, or postural instability.

Common VRT Exercises Include:

✅ Gaze Stabilization Drills
Patients fix their eyes on a target while moving their head side to side or up and down — retrains the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR)

✅ Balance Training
Using foam surfaces, eyes-closed challenges, or dynamic movements to improve postural control and proprioception

✅ Visual-Vestibular Integration
Combining head motion with visual tracking to reduce motion sensitivity

✅ Habituation Exercises
Gradual exposure to movements that provoke symptoms (like rolling in bed or riding in cars) to retrain tolerance

✅ Walking and Turning Drills
Improving navigation in busy or stimulating environments, like grocery stores or school hallways

Every plan is customized based on your specific deficits, especially if you're recovering from an auto accident in areas like Overland Park, Independence, Shawnee, or Grandview.

Who Needs VRT?

VRT is ideal for patients with:

• Concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI)

• Whiplash injuries with dizziness

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

• Cervicogenic dizziness

• Vestibular migraines

• Unexplained dizziness after a car accident

If you feel dizzy, unstable, or uncomfortable in visually stimulating places like stores, parking lots, or screens — you may benefit from VRT.

Get VRT in Kansas City with Dr. Lance Stevenson, DC

At our Kansas City clinic, Dr. Lance Stevenson offers complete vestibular evaluations and individualized VRT plans for patients recovering from concussions and car crashes. If your symptoms haven’t improved with rest or medication, VRT may be the missing piece of your recovery.

Call 816-226-7476 today to schedule your post-concussion evaluation and get started with Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy from Kansas City’s trusted personal injury chiropractor.

Special thanks to Complete Concussions for their training and educational resources. To learn more about comprehensive concussion treatment options, visit completeconcussions.com.

Disclaimer:

This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. If you have experienced a concussion or other injury, please consult a qualified healthcare provider. Always follow the advice and treatment plan given by your medical professional.

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