Improvement in Body’s Dynamic Adaptation during Walking with Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy in Patients with Cerebellopontine Angle Tumor Resection

Abstract

Background: Our study aimed to investigate the effects of vestibular rehabilitation therapy on functional gait performance in patients with balance disorders. Methods: A total of 40 post-operative patients with balance disorders were included in the study. They were divided into two groups and participated in a vestibular rehabilitation program during their hospital stay. After discharge, the intervention group performed vestibular exercises at home, while the control group did not. Balance was assessed using the Functional Gait Assessment Scale at discharge and three months after surgery. Results: The intervention group included 15 women and 5 men with an average age of 45 years, while the control group included 7 women and 13 men with an average age of 50 years. Three months after surgery, the change in Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) scores exceeded the clinically significant threshold of 5 points in 17 patients in the intervention group and 14 in the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in FGA progression between the groups (p = 0.034). After three months post-surgery, 7 patients in the intervention group experienced falls compared to 12 in the control group. Conclusion: Three months after surgery, we observed a significant improvement in the performance of balance tasks while walking and a lower risk of falls in the intervention group.

Keywords

• surgery
• balance impairment
• vestibular rehabilitation therapy
• functional gait assessment
• gait