Balance and Concussion Therapy Center LLC

09/25/2026

A near-fall is worth noticing—even when you never reach the floor.

Catching yourself on a wall, reaching for furniture, misjudging a step, or avoiding stairs because you feel unsteady can all be important information.

Balance can be affected by more than one system—including the inner ear, vision, strength, sensation, blood pressure, medication effects, and how the brain combines sensory information. A thoughtful assessment looks for the pattern instead of assuming unsteadiness is simply part of getting older.

During Falls Prevention Awareness Week, notice the near-falls too. Write down when they happen, what you were doing, and whether dizziness, dim lighting, turning, or uneven ground played a role. Bring that information to your healthcare provider.

Save this for your next appointment, or share it with someone who has started holding on more often.

Falls Prevention Awareness Week is led nationally by the National Council on Aging, National Council on Aging.

HackensackNJ

09/18/2026

Four specialists. One room. One shared commitment: better concussion care.

Today, on New Jersey Concussion Awareness Day, we’re marking ten years since this observance began in New Jersey in 2016.

Last night, our four in-person panelists came together in Hackensack for a multidisciplinary conversation about recognizing concussion and supporting recovery.

Pictured from left:

Dr. Spiridoula “Doula” Riley, PT, DPT, MBA, ATC
Dr. Bridget Mayer, PsyD
Dr. Danit Macklin, PT, DPT
Dr. Felicia Gliksman, DO, MPH, FAAN
Our moderators joined us virtually: Cynthia Ryan, Executive Director of the Vestibular Disorders Association, and Helena Esmonde, PT, DPT, NCS, cofounder and Chief Clinical Officer of Vestibular First.

Concussion symptoms can involve headache, balance, vision, thinking, sleep, mood, and exercise tolerance. Individualized evaluation helps determine which disciplines belong on each person’s care team.

Thank you to our panelists, moderators, and everyone who participated and brought thoughtful questions to the conversation.

The session was recorded. We’ll share the recording and selected takeaways after processing.

09/14/2026

Four specialists. One room. Ten years of NJ Concussion Awareness Day culminating on September 17.

Dr. Felicia Gliksman, DO (pediatric & adult concussion, HUMC), Dr. Bridget Mayer, Psy.D. (neuropsychology), Dr. Spiridoula "Doula" Riley, PT, DPT, ATC (athletic training, Kessler Rehabilitation), and our own Dr. Danit Macklin, PT, DPT will be together live — moderated by Cynthia Ryan (VeDA) and Dr. Helena Esmonde, PT, DPT, NCS (Vestibular First).

You don't have to be in the room to be part of it — this is a virtual event. Join from anywhere, ask your questions live.

Registration is free, but closing soon. Link in bio.

📍 Hackensack, NJ | Bergen County

09/10/2026

One week until the NJ Concussion Awareness Day Official Event — Thursday, September 17 at 7 PM — free, virtual, and open to anyone navigating concussion recovery or supporting someone who is.

This year's panel brings together six specialists across neurology, neuropsychology, and vestibular/concussion rehab for a real conversation about the questions patients and providers are actually asking — plus a live 30-minute Q&A where you can ask yours.

Save your spot — link in bio. 🗓️

09/09/2026

New research on concussion recovery, out this year: when it comes to getting back to normal after a sport-related concussion, not all rehab approaches are equal.

A 2026 analysis of 20 clinical trials (1,320 participants) found the biggest recovery gains came from multidisciplinary rehab — combining vestibular therapy with carefully dosed aerobic exercise outperformed rest alone or a single-track approach. The effect was strongest in patients with symptoms that had stuck around.

That's exactly why we don't treat concussion as one thing. Vestibular, exertional, cervical, visual — we test for what's actually driving your symptoms and treat all of it, together.

📍 Hackensack, NJ | Bergen County

09/08/2026

When in doubt, sit them out — no exceptions for the score, the scout in the stands, or the last game of the season.

If your child shows any of these after a hit — dazed or confused, slow to get up, headache, nausea, or just "not feeling right" — that's your sign. Pull them from play.

Here's the part that surprises a lot of parents: a concussion is a real brain injury, even when it doesn't show up on a standard CT or MRI. "Normal imaging" doesn't mean nothing happened.

Something seem off after a hit? Get evaluated early — the sooner we start, the smoother the recovery.

📍 Hackensack, NJ | Bergen County
(551) 888-2282 | [email protected]

09/04/2026

🧠 TWO WEEKS TO GO: Meet the full panel for Concussion Awareness Day 2026.

This September 17 marks our 10th year bringing NJ clinicians, patients, and families together for real, evidence-informed conversation about concussion — not sensationalized, not oversimplified.

This year's panel:
🎙️ Cynthia Ryan — Lead Moderator, Executive Director, Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA)
🧠 Dr. Bridget Mayer, PsyD — Senior Neuropsychologist, Princeton Neuropsychology / Sports Concussion Center of NJ
⚕️ Dr. Felicia Gliksman, DO, MPH, FAAN — Director, Pediatric & Adult Concussion Program, Hackensack University Medical Center
🏃 Dr. Spiridoula "Doula" Riley, PT, DPT, MBA, ATC — Center Manager, Kessler Rehabilitation Center – Bridgewater
🩺 Dr. Danit Macklin, PT, DPT — Founder, NJ Concussion Awareness Day; Director, Balance & Concussion Therapy Center
🙋‍♀️ Helena Esmonde, PT, DPT, NCS — Q&A Lead & Backup Moderator, Co-Founder & Chief Clinical Officer, Vestibular First

Six specialists, six different vantage points on concussion care — pediatric neurology, neuropsychology, athletic training, vestibular rehab, and moderation from two of the field's most recognized voices. One evening built around the questions patients and providers are actually asking.

Free. Virtual. September 17 at 7 PM. Two weeks out — grab your spot before it fills.

📍 Hackensack, NJ | serving Bergen County
🔗 Register free — link in bio

NJ's first & only PT practice solely dedicated to concussion & vestibular rehab — now celebrating 10 years. Whole-person care, not a checklist. Dr. Danit Macklin PT, DPT. 📍 Hackensack, NJ

09/02/2026

One of the things I check on every concussion eval: does the dizziness pattern actually match the story?

Most of the time, it does. But every so often, a patient describes classic concussion symptoms — until we get to positional testing, and suddenly rolling over in bed or looking up at a shelf sets off a spinning sensation that's a different kind of dizzy than the rest of their symptoms.

That's a red flag worth chasing — not because something's wrong, but because it usually means there are two things going on, not one. In cases like this, we're often looking at BPPV (a mechanical inner-ear issue) riding alongside the concussion — and BPPV is one of the few dizziness causes that can often be resolved in a single visit with the right repositioning maneuver.

This is exactly why we don't treat "dizziness" as one thing. The eval has to ask what kind of dizzy, and when — because the answer changes the plan.

📍 Hackensack, NJ | Bergen County

09/01/2026

Concussion recovery isn't just about resting the body — it's about protecting the brain enough to actually heal, and that includes the classroom.

Return-to-learn is a gradual, symptom-guided process — not a single "cleared" moment.

Accommodations can look like:
📚 Shortened school days or reduced workload
🕶️ Breaks from screens, bright lights, or noisy hallways
⏳ Extended time on tests and assignments
🧠 A quiet space to rest if symptoms flare
📈 A staged return to full academic load as tolerance builds

Every child's brain injury is different, so the plan should be too. If your child took a hit and school is starting to feel like too much, we can help build a return-to-learn plan that actually fits them.

📍 Hackensack, NJ | Bergen County

08/28/2026

Friday night lights are back. This week, high school football kicks off across Bergen County and NJ — which means concussion season kicks off with it.

A few reminders for parents and coaches heading into the season:
🏈 A concussion doesn't require loss of consciousness to be serious
🏈 "Looking fine" 5 minutes after a hit doesn't mean the brain is fine
🏈 Return-to-play should be gradual and symptom-guided — not rushed because there's a game Friday
🏈 The right rehab team makes recovery faster AND safer, not just more cautious

If your athlete takes a hit this season, we're here — vestibular- and concussion-specialized care, built around getting them back safely, not just quickly.

And while we're on the topic: registration is open for Concussion Awareness Day 2026 — our free panel discussion + live Q&A on Sept 17. Link in bio. 🧠

📍 Hackensack, NJ | Bergen County