THE COMBINED EFFECTIVENESS OF GAZE STABILITY AND BALANCE EXERCISES USING TELEREHABILITATION IN INDIVIDUALS WITH VESTIBULAR DISORDERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

N. Aldawsary1,2, M. Almarwani1
1King Saud University, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Department, Ministry of Health, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background: Vestibular rehabilitation is the most effective intervention to relieve symptoms of dizziness & imbalance related to vestibular disorders as well as improve activities of daily living. Previous studies reported that telehealth could be used effectively among individuals with vestibular disorder with similar outcomes as to in-person health service.

Purpose: To examine the combined effectiveness of gaze stability and balance exercises using telerehabilitation in individuals with vestibular disorders.

Methods: This pilot study was a quasi-experimental single group pre-to posttest design (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04842474). Individuals with vestibular disorders between the ages of 25-60 participated in this study (n=10).Participants received four weeks of combined gaze stability and balance exercises at their homes using telerehabilitation. Arabic version of Activities-Specific Balance Confidence scale (A-ABC), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Arabic version of Dizziness Handicap Inventory (A-DHI) were assessed pre and post vestibular telerehabilitation. Paired t-test was used to compare pre-and post-intervention scores of A-ABC, BBS, and A-DHI.

Results: Following 4 weeks of vestibular telerehabilitation, there was an overall improvement in all outcome measures (p≤0.05).

Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, gaze stability combined with balance exercises through telerehabilitation appear to be effective to improve balance and activities of daily living in individuals with vestibular disorders.

Implications:
  • Telerehabilitation can be effective for individuals with vestibular dysfunctions.
  • Vestibular telerehabilitation improves balance and activities of daily living.
  • Vestibular telerehabilitation could provide a reasonable alternative to in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Funding acknowledgements: The Research Center of the Female Scientific and Medical Colleges, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Keywords:
Activities of daily living
Dizziness, Postural balance
Telerehabilitation, Vestibular diseases

Topics:
Disability & rehabilitation


Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: King Saud University
Committee: The Ethics Committee of King Saud University
Ethics number: (IRB #E-20-5496)

All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.

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