Optical Flow and Postural Control with Jaimy Wahab and Katherine Deines

Jaimy Wahab PT, DPT, NCS is a neurologic and vestibular physical therapist. She is the founder/owner of the Balance and Neurologic Center of the Rockies and an affiliate instructor for the Doctor of Physical therapy program at Regis University.  She is an Affiliate Educator at Re+Active Education, an online, international continuing education platform, teaching advanced vestibular rehabilitation content. She became board certified as a Neurologic Clinical Specialist in 2007 and recertified in 2017. Current clinical interests include evaluation and treatment of patients with complex vestibular disorders, movement disorders, and functional neurologic disorders.  She has a special interest in treating visual motion hypersensitivity and functional dry needling in the person with spasticity and dystonia to optimize outcomes and quality of life. She has been an invited panel member for the Brain Injury Hope Foundation. She has been involved in research regarding peripheral neuropathy and Parkinson’s Disease as well as Dual task with Parkinson’s Disease at Regis University.  

Katherine Deines, PT, DPT, NCS is a neurologic and vestibular physical therapist and owner/founder of STEP UP Physical Therapy in Colorado. She achieved her competency in vestibular rehabilitation through Emory University in 2002. She became a board certified neurologic clinical specialist in 2007 with recertification in 2017. Teaching experience includes assisting in the neurologic and vestibular coursework for the University of Colorado Doctor of Physical Therapy program. She is an affiliate educator with Re+Active Education, an online continuing education platform, teaching advanced vestibular rehabilitation content. The popular course, A Positive Spin on Dizziness, reached an international audience. Her clinical research with Regis University investigated peripheral neuropathy in Parkinson’s Disease. Current clinical interests include the evaluation and treatment of those with complex vestibular disorders with a special interest in visual motion hypersensitivity and those with movement disorders including Parkinson’s Disease, dystonia, and functional neurologic disorders. She is passionate about improving the function and quality of life of her patients. 

References:

Optic flow, Visual dependence, visual vertigo (dizziness-and-balance.com)

• O'Connor SM, Kuo AD. Direction-dependent control of balance during walking and standing. J Neurophysiol. 2009 Sep;102(3):1411-9. doi: 10.1152/jn.00131.2009. Epub 2009 Jun 24. PMID: 19553493; PMCID: PMC2746770.
• Thompson JD, Franz JR. Do kinematic metrics of walking balance adapt to perturbed optical flow?. Hum Mov Sci. 2017;54:34-40. doi:10.1016/j.humov.2017.03.004
• Wolf C, Lappe M. Vision as oculomotor reward: cognitive contributions to the dynamic control of saccadic eye movements. Cogn Neurodyn. 2021 Aug;15(4):547-568. doi: 10.1007/s11571-020-09661-y. Epub 2021 Jan 25. PMID: 34367360