Results from the balance rehabilitation unit in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Posturography is a useful new tool to study the influence of vestibular diseases on balance.


OBJECTIVE
to compare the results from the Balance Rehabilitation Unit (BRU) static posturography in elderly patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), before and after Epley's maneuver.


METHODS
a prospective study of 20 elderly patients with a diagnosis of BPPV. The patients underwent static posturography and the limit of stability (LE) and ellipse area were measured. We also applied the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) questionnaire to study treatment effectiveness.


RESULTS
80% were females, with a mean age of 68.15 years. After the maneuver, the LE increased significantly (p=0.001). The elliptical area of somatosensory, visual and vestibular conflicts (2,7,8,9 situations) in BRU and the DHI scores decreased significantly (p<0.05) after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
the study suggests that elderly patients with BPPV may present static postural control impairment and that the maneuver is effective for the remission of symptoms, to increase in the stability and improvement in postural control in situations of visual, somatosensory and vestibular conflicts.
Federal University of São Paulo, Body Balance and Social Inclusion Program of Uniban - Brazil.
Cristiane Akemi
CA
Kasse
Graziela Gaspar
GG
Santana
Renata Coelho
RC
Scharlach
Juliana Maria
JM
Gazzola
Fátima Cristina Barreiro
FC
Branco
Flávia
F
Doná
D000368:Aged; D004244:Dizziness / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance; D011187:Posture; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014717:Vertigo / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation