Dr. Nora Fritz, PhD, PT, DPT, NCS, an expert in postural control and fall risk in people with multiple sclerosis, joins host J.J. Mowder-Tinney for a deep dive into reactive balance—why it matters, how it’s measured, and what we can do about it. J.J. and Nora explore the latest research around sensory reweighting, backward walking, and compensatory stepping, connecting the science to real-world clinical applications across patient populations. Together, they discuss strategies to support your clients’ safety and confidence through tailored interventions and meaningful conversations. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your assessment approach or rethink fall prevention strategies, this episode offers insights you won’t want to miss.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the evidence around reactive postural control in persons with MS
• Apply evidence-based, practical strategies to actionably address reactive balance control in persons with MS
• Incorporate measures of psychological functioning that may impact goal setting for reactive postural control in persons with MS

Timestamps

• (00:00:00) Welcome
• (00:00:47) Introduction to reactive balance and multiple sclerosis (MS)
• (00:03:04) Understanding reactive balance mechanisms
• (00:06:50) Research insights on backward walking
• (00:11:55) Neural control of reactive balance
• (00:17:45) Applications across different diagnoses
• (00:20:57) Practical examples in therapy sessions
• (00:26:41) Assessing reactive balance in clinical settings
• (00:29:02) Understanding patient concerns and fear of falling
• (00:33:04) Interventions for improving reactive balance
• (00:35:24) Creative approaches to reactive balance training
• (00:38:44) Key takeaways for clinicians
• (00:40:34) Case studies and clinical insights
• (00:42:31) Research and future directions in balance training

Resources Mentioned in Episode

• Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy (ANPT) podcast episode that discusses the CAFFE Scale: DD SIG Episode 53: JNPT highlight: Concern About Falling and Fear of Falling in MS with Taylor Takla

• Balance Assessments

• Mini-BESTest
• Push and Release
• ABC Scale
• FES-I
• CAFFE Scale

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