The Athlete’s Balance Blueprint: Vestibular Science for Stability, Speed & Performance

Speakers in this session...

• 

  Michael Bagnell

  

  Sponsors

  • FCA Sports Council

  Michael Bagnell DC, FABBIR, DACNB, BCN

  Dr. Michael K. Bagnell has been in clinical practice for over 30 years. He has received post- graduate training in Pediatrics, Sports Injuries, Kinesiology, Functional Medicine, and Biomechanics. He has completed his diplomate in neurology and additional training in Brain Injury Rehabilitation and attained FABBIR status (Fellowship American Board Brain Injury Rehabilitation) in 2015. He competed in collegiate football, and Masters Track & Field competitions.

  During his work with thousands of patients he has compiled a protocol for health recovery and improved brain performance. His book, Health Detectives- Solving the Mystery of Health Through Neuroscience, Nutrigenomics, and Mechanobiology is available on Amazon.

  Sessions...

  The Athlete’s Balance Blueprint: Vestibular Science for Stability, Speed & Performance

  Regional Event: se

  Start Date: 05/29/2026 2:40 pm

  End Date: 05/29/2026 4:20 pm

  Location: Rio Vista I-II

  Session details

  Course Description

  The vestibular system plays a critical yet often underappreciated role in athletic performance, influencing balance, coordination, spatial awareness, reaction time, and injury prevention. Acting as the body’s internal orientation and stabilization system, vestibular input integrates with visual and proprioceptive pathways to control posture, movement efficiency, and dynamic stability. 

  This course explores the clinical application of vestibular science in sports chiropractic practice, focusing on how vestibular function affects athletic performance and injury risk.  Participants will examine the neurophysiology of the vestibular system, its role in movement control, and how vestibular dysfunction can contribute to balance deficits, dizziness, decreased coordination, and post-concussion symptoms. 

  Attendees will learn practical screening methods and rehabilitation strategies that can be integrated into sports chiropractic care to improve athlete stability, neuromotor control, and overall performance. Emphasis will be placed on translating vestibular science into clinically applicable strategies for athletes at all levels of competition.

  Learning Objectives

  1. Describe the anatomy and neurophysiology of the vestibular system and its role in postural control and movement coordination.
  2. Explain how vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive systems interact to maintain balance and spatial orientation during athletic activity.
  3. Identify common vestibular dysfunction patterns in athletes, including those associated with concussion, balance impairment, and movement inefficiencies.
  4. Perform practical vestibular screening assessments appropriate for the sports chiropractic setting.
  5. Implement vestibular-based rehabilitation strategies designed to improve balance, stability, and neuromotor control.
  6. Integrate vestibular training into performance enhancement and injury prevention programs for athletic populations.

  Assets

  Bagnell - Sports and Vestibular

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  Wired to Win: The Cerebellum–Extremity Link Every Athlete Needs

  Regional Event: se

  Start Date: 05/29/2026 4:50 pm

  End Date: 05/29/2026 6:30 pm

  Location: Rio Vista III-IV

  Session details

  Sponsor: FCA Sports Council

  Course Description 

  In high-performance sport, the difference between good and elite often lies in milliseconds, millimeters, and motor precision. At the center of this performance spectrum is the cerebellum—the brain’s command center for coordination, timing, accuracy, and movement efficiency.

  This cutting-edge session bridges functional neurology and sports chiropractic by exploring how extremity manipulation acts as a powerful afferent input to the cerebellum, influencing neuromotor control and athletic output.

  Dr. Michael Bagnell and Dr. Spencer Baron combine decades of clinical and sideline experience with emerging research to demonstrate how targeted extremity adjustments can produce measurable changes in:

  • Proprioception
  • Motor accuracy
  • Reaction speed
  • Movement efficiency
  • Neuromuscular coordination

  Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how spinal and extremity inputs modulate cerebellar function—and how to apply these principles immediately in both clinical and athletic settings.

  This is not theory alone. This is application-driven neurology for real-world performance.

  Learning Objectives

  1. Explain the functional role of the cerebellum in coordination, timing, motor learning, and athletic performance
  2. Describe how extremity manipulation influences cerebellar activity through afferent neurological pathways
  3. Identify key research findings supporting changes in proprioception, accuracy, speed, and neuromuscular control following joint manipulation
  4. Differentiate when and why to apply extremity adjustments in performance vs. injury-based scenarios
  5. Demonstrate specific upper and lower extremity adjusting techniques designed to enhance sensorimotor integration
  6. Integrate cerebellar-based strategies into sideline and practice settings for immediate performance gains
  7. Recognize clinical indicators of cerebellar dysfunction and how extremity input can be used as a therapeutic tool