BPPV: Foundations to Advanced Clinical Competency

Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
Intended Audience: PT, PTA, OT
Course level: Intermediate
Check in time: 7:30-8:00AM 
Course time: 8:00AM-1:15PM
Location: St. Catherine University/Mendel Hall
2004, Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55105
Lab #213
Total Contact hours: 5.0

Course Fee: $125.00

PT: Course will be submitted to the MN Board of PT for approved credits. (Submitting credits through the MN Board of PT does not guarantee full credits will be approved by the board)

OT: You will receive a certificate of course completion with total CE contact hours. M HEALTH Fairview is not an approved provider through AOTA and has never been for distance learning. You may still submit the hours towards your licensure and receive a certificate of completion with all information provided to submit.  For additional information about CE requirements for license, please see MN Statute 148.6443: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/148.6443
MN statutes 143.6443, subdivision SUBD.2 “Standards for determining the qualified education activities” will continue to be utilized in determining appropriate OT related CE courses.

(Submitting credits through the organizations does not guarantee approved credits or the full credits. All participants will receive a certificate of completion which you may be able to use towards your professional license).

Cancellation Policy:  Cancellation Fee will apply.

Instructor:

Sara Oxborough earned her Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology and a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2006.  She went on to complete her transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy at St. Scholastica in 2024. Her doctoral work focused on the role of Vestibular Rehabilitation in Vestibular Migraines.

Currently, Sara is part of the ENT Department at M Health Fairview at the University of Minnesota.  She serves as adjunct faculty at both the University of Minnesota and Augustana University. She has over 18 years treating vestibular disorders and balance impairments. Additionally, she is the Director of Education for Vestibular First.

She has created multiple courses for the ANPT and APTA and received Competency Certifications from Emory University, Atlanta, GA and the American Physical Therapy Association in Vestibular Rehabilitation in 2009.

She has served various roles on the ANPT’s Vestibular Special Interest Group since 2010, and more recently the Balance and Falls Special Interest Group. In 2019 she received the service award from the Vestibular SIG.  She teaches continuing education courses in vestibular rehabilitation both locally and nationally, and internationally, and has co-authored multiple studies on vestibular rehabilitation.

Financial Disclosures: Sara Oxborough has no financial relationships to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosures: Sara Oxborough has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Course Description

This course provides healthcare providers with a comprehensive introduction to the evaluation and management of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), progressing from foundational concepts to intermediate and advanced clinical skills. Participants will learn to recognize hallmark signs and symptoms, differentiate canal involvement through positional testing, and apply evidence-based treatment maneuvers for effective patient care. Emphasis is placed on clinical reasoning, hands-on application, and the ability to adapt treatment strategies to individual patient needs. This course will go beyond beginner assessments and treatments and explore the emerging evidence into atypical variants of BPPV.  By the end of the course, learners will have the knowledge and practical skills necessary to confidently assess, treat, and manage patients with BPPV in a clinical setting. This course will include lecture, lab, group discussion, and actual patient case studies.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to:​

 

  • Identify and describe the characteristic signs and symptoms of BPPV, including common patient-reported triggers and typical nystagmus patterns
  • Differentiate and analyze clinical findings from positional tests to accurately diagnose posterior, horizontal, and anterior canal BPPV, as well as canalithiasis versus cupulolithiasis variants.
  • Differentiate and analyze atypical variants of BPPV including short arm, ageotropic posterior canal, and canal jam
  • Demonstrate and apply evidence-based treatment techniques for both typical and atypical BPPV, while modifying approaches for canal involvement, patient tolerance, and special populations.
  • Evaluate and determine red flag findings that suggest central or systemic pathology, and formulate appropriate referral decisions to neurology, otolaryngology, or emergency care when indicated.

Agenda:

730-800AM: Check in
8:00-9:00AM: Background and Examination
9:00-9:45AM: Commonly seen eye movements in BPPV
9:45-10:30AM: Treatment of typical Posterior, Horizontal, and Anterior Canal
10:30-10:45AM: Break
10:45-11:45AM: Lab - Typical BPPV
11:45-12:30PM: Atypical BPPV - Short Arm, Poster Canal Cupulothiasis, Canal Jams
12:30-1:15PM: Lab - Atypical BPPV

REGISTER FOR THIS COURSE