Computer-Assisted Training as a Complement in Rehabilitation of Patients With Chronic Vestibular Dizziness-A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To compare a computer-assisted home exercise program with conservative home-training following printed instructions in the rehabilitation of elderly patients with vestibular dysfunction. Design: Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial. Setting: Geriatric department of a university hospital. Participants: Patients with chronic dizziness due to vestibular dysfunction (N=63) were randomly assigned to either rehabilitation in the clinic followed by computer-assisted home exercises (intervention group: n=32) or rehabilitation in the clinic followed by home exercises according to printed instructions (control group: n=31). Interventions: Patients in the intervention group received assisted rehabilitation by a computer program. Main Outcome Measures: Measurements at baseline and at 8 and 16 weeks were compared. These included the One Leg Stand Test, Dynamic Gait Index, Chair Stand Test, Motion Sensitivity Test, Short Form-12, Dizziness Handicap Inventory, and visual analog scale. Results: Both groups improved significantly during 16 weeks of rehabilitation. However, neither t tests nor repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated any significant differences between the 2 groups. The overall compliance rate to computer program exercises during 16 weeks was 57%. Conclusions: A computer-assisted program to support the home training of elderly patients with vestibular dysfunction did not improve rehabilitation more than did printed instructions. (C) 2015 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine