By: Kiley Como with Shane Smith Law
What do elite level spins, rapid cuts on the field, and relearning how to walk confidently after a concussion have in common?
According to vestibular training expert Sheila Thelen, they are built on the exact same foundation: the vestibular system.
In this episode of Mind Matters, Kiley Como, Legal Nurse Consultant at Shane Smith Law, sits down with Sheila to explore a powerful idea. Performance training and brain injury rehabilitation are not separate disciplines. They are the same work applied at different skill levels.
The Vestibular System: The Brain’s Balance Command Center
The vestibular system sits inside both ears and drives far more than posture. It plays a critical role in:
- Balance
- Cognitive clarity
- Facial coordination
- Sleep regulation
When the vestibular system is disrupted after a concussion or traumatic brain injury, the impact reaches every part of daily life. Patients often experience:
- Dizziness
- Brain fog
- Sleep disturbances
- Anxiety and panic responses
- Increased fall risk
- Difficulty driving or reading
- Emotional instability
For many survivors, the most distressing symptom is not a broken bone. It is the feeling that their brain is no longer working the way it used to.
Performance and Rehab Are the Same Thing
At her company, performance training and rehabilitation are treated as the same process.
The same tools used to train elite professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and world champion figure skaters are used with:
- Concussion survivors
- Older adults at fall risk
- Children
- Individuals with autism
- Patients with PTSD
- Military personnel and first responders
The only difference is the starting point.
Just like strength training, no one begins with 400 pounds on the bench press. You start where you are. Some clients begin with a single controlled spin. Over time, their brain adapts. The vestibular system recalibrates. Skill improves.
Rehabilitation becomes performance training.
The Anxiety and Sleep Connection
When balance is off and the brain senses instability, it can trigger a constant fight or flight response. The brain interprets imbalance as danger.
If sleep is disrupted and the vestibular system is not functioning properly, the nervous system stays in alarm mode. That chronic stress worsens mental health symptoms.
By calming the vestibular system and restoring balance input, patients often experience improvements in:
- Sleep
- Anxiety levels
- Sense of safety
- Emotional regulation
This connection is critical in TBI recovery. It also explains why some patients are prescribed medications for anxiety or depression when the root cause may include vestibular dysfunction.
Medication has its place. But non-invasive vestibular retraining can offer another path.
A Real Recovery Story
Her family described a dramatic change. She had been a fast talker, energetic and sharp. After the concussion, her speech slowed. She was not driving. She struggled cognitively.
Within four months of targeted vestibular training, she returned to her prior self. Her speech pattern normalized. She resumed driving. Her personality and confidence came back.
This is the type of change families immediately recognize.
What Does a Vestibular Training Session Look Like?
Using objective balance testing platforms and cognitive assessments, clinicians establish a baseline. Tests often include:
- Eyes open and eyes closed balance measurements
- Foam surface balance testing
- Cognitive speed and processing assessments
Then comes controlled vestibular stimulation. For some patients, that may mean a single slow spin. For others, more advanced rotational and chaos training systems are used.
After the session, patients are retested.
The data can shift dramatically.
In one white paper referenced during the episode, post concussion patients demonstrated a 22 percent improvement after a single session.
One 79 year old client improved her cognitive speed by 93 seconds in a pre and post brain test. She had been experiencing falls and instability. After training, she became a safer and more confident driver.
The changes are not just subjective. They are measurable.
Why This Matters in Personal Injury Cases
The brain injury affects:
- Recovery from other injuries
- Ability to work
- Driving
- Writing
- Reading
- Sleep
- Emotional regulation
- Family relationships
Objective vestibular testing and documented functional changes can help demonstrate the real impact of a TBI.
From a legal standpoint, before and after comparisons are powerful:
- Sleep patterns
- Cognitive speed
- Balance performance
- Fall risk
- Driving ability
- Work performance
Family members can often clearly describe the immediate shift after the accident. The person they knew changed overnight.
Meticulous documentation from providers makes a meaningful difference in building and supporting a case.
Protecting Young Athletes and Brain Health
Repeated head impacts in football, soccer, MMA, and other contact sports raise serious concerns about long term neurological consequences, including CTE.
Education, early intervention, and proactive brain health strategies are essential. Vestibular health is part of that larger conversation.
As a society, protecting children’s brains must be a priority.
Bridging Medicine and Law
Vestibular training is not just about better spins for elite athletes. It is about:
- Walking safely
- Driving confidently
- Thinking clearly
- Sleeping better
- Reducing anxiety
- Living fully after brain injury
If you or someone you love is struggling after a concussion or traumatic brain injury, understanding vestibular function may open doors to recovery that were previously overlooked.
And if that injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you deserve a legal team that understands the medical complexity behind it.
In pain, call Shane at 980-999-9999.
For more episodes connecting brain health and personal injury law, subscribe to Mind Matters and follow Shane Smith Law at https://www.shanesmithlaw.com/
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