Senior Consultant Vestibular Physiotherapist
Director, Dizziness & Balance Disorders Centre, Adelaide
Margie Sharpe is an accredited Senior Consultant who works exclusively in Vestibular and Balance Rehabilitation Therapy as a physiotherapist, and has undertaken numerous international courses, lectures, seminars and case conferences related to the evaluation, treatment and management of patients with vestibular disorders.
She pioneered Vestibular Rehabilitation in Australia, and established the first physiotherapy clinical practice in this country, a model that has been adopted by others.
She has been treating patients with vestibular disorders since the late 1980’s, during which time she has witnessed not only a growing interest from allied health professionals, medical practitioners and the public in this specialized field, but also major advances in the knowledge and understanding of the vestibular system in health and disease; and importantly, the development of new techniques and equipment to examine the function of the vestibular system in patients and new treatment approaches.
Her unique, innovative and integrated approach to patients with vertigo, dizziness and unsteadiness is founded on the most recent published research findings of clinical and basic science literature, and her close working relationship with team members.
She strongly advocates that the positive functional outcomes for patients with vestibular disorders is solely contingent upon a multi-disciplinary team approach for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment whether that be medical, psychological, or rehabilitation or a combination of these.