Balance and vestibular rehabilitation

ABSTRACT

To assess the role of Computerized Dynamic Posturography in the diagnosis and rehabilitation of patients with vertigo. We studied 28 patients with chronic symptomatic vestibular deficits disorders of at least 3 months duration, and chief complaints of vertigo, imbalance, and/or motion intolerance. They were 20 females and 8 males; their ages ranged from 19 -66 years [mean 41.04 +/- .13]. Another ten 10 normal subjects were selected as controls. They were six females and four males with ages ranging from 30 to 60 years [mean 43.8 +/- 9.8]. All were subjected to hearing assessment, pure tone audiometry, and Electronystagmography [ENG] test. Also postural stability was assessd using Computerized Dynamic Posturography [CDP] with sensory organization test [SOT]. Patients were assessed by Dizziness Handicap Inventory [DHI] score. Then patients submitted to vestibular rehabilitation as treatment modality by CDP and home exercises. Patients were assessed after their vestibular rehabilitation therapy [VRT] by DHI and SOT. The result showed highly significant statistical difference between patient and control groups as regards condition 5 and composite score of SOT. We observed larger increase in condition 5 and composite score of SOT, and decrease in DHI after VRT. This information showed that SOT by CDP is an adequate method to quantitative analysis to show the vestibular function increase in the Vestibular Rehabilitation, and CDP effective as rehabilitation in patients with vestibular affection