Effects of physiotherapy on balance and unilateral vestibular hypofunction in vertiginous elderly

摘要

BackgroundWe aimed to analyze the effect of a physical therapy protocol on unilateral vestibular hypofunction and overall balance in elderly with vertigo.MethodsThe study included nine subjects, four male subjects (68.5?±?11.09?years old) and five females (72.4?±?7.09?years old). It was used the performance-oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), to evaluate the balance and the Unterberger – Fukuda test for analysis of unilateral vestibular dysfunction through rotations and displacements of the body. We developed and applied a structured physical therapy protocol, consisting of group exercises.ResultsIt was observed that after the protocol, all participants improved balance (33.9?±?5.1 vs. 47.3?±?7.6, p?