Balance improvement in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Objective: To investigate the effect of an additional vestibular stimulated exercise programme on balance for patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Medical centre. Subjects: Twenty-six subjects with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo involving the unilateral posterior semicircular canal. Interventions: Subjects were randomized into experimental or control groups. Thirteen subjects in the experimental group received the canalith repositioning manoeuvre and vestibular stimulated exercise training three times a week for four weeks. Thirteen subjects in the control group received only the canalith repositioning manoeuvre. Main measures: Static balance tests, tandem walk test, Dynamic Gait Index and subjective rating of the intensity of vertigo were measured at baseline, two-week and four-week assessments. Results: Compared with the control group, subjects in the experimental group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in single leg stance with eyes closed at the two-week assessment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, stance on foam surface with eyes closed, single-leg stance with eyes closed, and Dynamic Gait Index at the four-week assessment were also significantly improved (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that additional exercise training, which emphasizes vestibular stimulation, can improve balance ability and functional gait performance among patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo who had already undergone the canalith repositioning manoeuvre.