Relationship between Location of Focal Traumatic Brain Injury and Canal Involved in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

Introduction:  Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) has a prevalence of 58% in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) population. Research on idiopathic BPPV has demonstrated a higher prevalence of right-sided canal involvement. While many studies have investigated the epidemiology of canal involvement in BPPV in both idiopathic and traumatic BPPV (BPPV associated with a fall), there has been no assessment of trauma location as a predictor of the location of BPPV.

Brazilian Version of the Vestibular Activities and Participation Measure: Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Validity, and Reliability.

Background: Vestibular Activities and Participation Measure (VAP) subscales assess the effect of vestibular disorders on activity and participation. This study aimed to perform the cross-cultural adaptation and assess the validity, internal consistency, reliability, and measurement error of the Brazilian version of VAP subscales.

Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation followed the translation, synthesis, back-translation, review by a committee of experts, and pretesting phases.

Relationships between vestibular issues, noise sensitivity, anxiety and prolonged recovery from mild traumatic brain injury among adults: a scoping review.

Background: We investigated the extent of literature and findings on relationships between vestibular issues, noise sensitivity (NS), and anxiety. We were interested in how relationships among these factors impacted adults' recovery three months or more after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Methods: We conducted a scoping review to evaluate the extent of evidence linking relationships between vestibular issues, NS and anxiety with recovery after mTBI.

Using an Arabic Version of the Life-Space Assessment to Evaluate How Gait Speed and Gender Predict Mobility Restrictions among Older Adults.

: The Life-Space Assessment (LSA) serves as an assessment tool for evaluating mobility and participation in older adults. To date, no studies have investigated the validity and reliability of the LSA within Arabic-speaking communities. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of an Arabic version of the LSA and to investigate the potential predictors of mobility restrictions in older Arabic-speaking adults.

Leveraging Technology for Vestibular Assessment and Rehabilitation in the Operational Environment: A Scoping Review.

Introduction: The vestibular system, essential for gaze and postural stability, can be damaged by threats on the battlefield. Technology can aid in vestibular assessment and rehabilitation; however, not all devices are conducive to the delivery of healthcare in an austere setting. This scoping review aimed to examine the literature for technologies that can be utilized for vestibular assessment and rehabilitation in operational environments.

Effectiveness and cost of integrated cognitive and balance training for balance and falls in cerebellar ataxia: a blinded two-arm parallel group RCT.

Background: In patients with cerebellar ataxia (CA), dual-tasking deteriorates the performance of one or both tasks.

Objective: Evaluate the effects of 4 weeks of cognitive-coupled intensive balance training (CIBT) on dual-task cost, dynamic balance, disease severity, number of falls, quality of life, cognition and cost among patients with CA.

Methods: This RCT compared CIBT (Group 1) to single-task training (Group 2) among 32 patients with CA.

Fear avoidance beliefs, anxiety, and depression in healthy individuals and persons with vestibular disorders across cultures.

Background/introduction: In persons with vestibular disorders, disturbed vestibular input and accompanying dizziness can be associated with anxiety or depression. To avoid dizziness, persons with vestibular disorders can develop mal-adaptive fear avoidance behaviors which can negatively influence daily life functioning. The aims of this study were to (1) document different psychological factors in patients with vestibular disorders and healthy adults across cultures and (2) to assess the convergent validity of the 9-item Vestibular Activities Avoidance Instrument (VAAI), which quantifies fear avoidance beliefs.

Predictors of Dizziness and Hearing Disorders in People with Long COVID.

: Individuals report persistent symptoms after becoming infected by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) that last for >4 weeks (long-COVID syndrome). Dizziness and hearing loss have been reported among long-COVID symptoms. However, little is known about the potential predictors of dizziness and hearing loss in individuals with long COVID.

We should be screening for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) in all older adults at risk of falling: a commentary on the World Falls Guidelines.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is amongst the commonest causes of dizziness and falls in older adults. Diagnosing and treating BPPV can reduce falls, and thereby reduce fall-related morbidity and mortality. Recent World Falls Guidelines recommend formal assessment for BPPV in older adults at risk of falling, but only if they report vertigo.

Type, dose, and outcomes of physical therapy interventions for unilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction: protocol for a systematic review.

Background: Unilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction can result in symptoms of dizziness, gaze and gait instability, and impaired navigation and spatial orientation. These impairments and activity limitations may negatively impact an individual's quality of life, ability to perform activities of daily living, drive, and work. There is strong evidence supporting vestibular physical therapy for reducing symptoms, improving gaze and postural stability, and improving function in individuals with vestibular hypofunction.

Surveying physical therapists' understanding of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Introduction: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common condition with disabling symptoms that is diagnosed and effectively treated at the bedside. Our encounter with patients experiencing prolonged BPPV who may not have received appropriate physical therapy prompted us to explore barriers to the diagnosis and treatment for BPPV among physical therapists, which has not been extensively investigated. We hypothesize that a potential barrier may be a lack of understanding of subtle symptoms of BPPV that deviate from the classical presentation.

The Psychometric Properties of the 9-Item Vestibular Activities Avoidance Instrument.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to establish the psychometric properties of the 9-Item Vestibular Activities Avoidance Instrument (VAAI-9), a patient-reported outcome measure developed to identify fear avoidance beliefs in persons with vestibular disorders.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 100 participants 18 years and older seeking care at a balance disorders clinic for dizziness. Participants completed the VAAI-9, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), and other patient-reported outcomes at the initial visit and the 3-month follow-up.

The Bárány Society position on 'Cervical Dizziness'.

This paper describes the Bárány Society Classification OverSight Committee (COSC) position on Cervical Dizziness, sometimes referred to as Cervical Vertigo. This involved an initial review by a group of experts across a broad range of fields, and then subsequent review by the Bárány Society COSC. Based upon the so far published literature, the Bárány Society COSC takes the view that the evidence supporting a mechanistic link between an illusory sensation of self-motion (i.

Utility of VestAid to Detect Eye-Gaze Accuracy in a Participant Exposed to Directed Energy.

Introduction: The VestAid is a tablet-based application that provides feedback about a patient's eye/head movements during exercise after concussion. The goal of this case series was to determine if VestAid could be used to detect eye-gaze accuracy in a participant exposed to directed energy (DE).

Materials And Methods: The VestAid results of a participant with DE were compared to an age- and gender-matched healthy control, a participant post-concussion, and a participant with vestibular neuritis.

Rating of perceived difficulty scale for measuring intensity of standing balance exercises in individuals with vestibular disorders.

Background: A method for prescribing the difficulty or intensity of standing balance exercises has been validated in a healthy population, but requires additional validation in individuals with vestibular disorders.

Objective: This study validated the use of ratings of perceived difficulty for estimation of balance exercise intensity in individuals with vestibular disorders.

Methods: Eight participants with a confirmed diagnosis of a vestibular disorder and 16 healthy participants performed two sets of 16 randomized static standing exercises across varying levels of difficulty.

Validation of the Gait Disorientation Test in children with concussion.

Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion is a complex injury that is difficult to diagnose and assess. There are negative impacts on cognition, balance, and mobility after a concussion. The Gait Disorientation Test (GDT) is an objective measure that assesses a person's balance ability by comparing the walking time with eyes open and the walking time with eyes closed in a standardized walking task.

Validity of balance measures in cerebellar ataxia: A prospective study with 12-month follow-up.

Introduction: Balance deficits are common in cerebellar ataxia. Determining which balance outcome measures are psychometrically strong for this population remains an unmet need.

Objective: To evaluate the validity and responsiveness of two clinic-based balance measures (Berg Balance Scale [BBS] and balance sub-component of the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia [SARA-bal]) and two laboratory-based balance measures (Sensory Organization Test [SOT] and Limits of Stability [LOS]) in cerebellar ataxia.

Categorizing individuals based on the severity of Visual Vertigo Analogue Scale symptoms.

Background: The Visual Vertigo Analogue Scale (VVAS) assesses visual vertigo. Instead of the original scoring methods (positive VVAS > 1), we propose categorizing patients as having No (0), Mild (0.1-40), Moderate (40.

Retention Effects of Long-Term Balance Training with Vibrotactile Sensory Augmentation in Healthy Older Adults.

Vibrotactile sensory augmentation (SA) decreases postural sway during real-time use; however, limited studies have investigated the long-term effects of training with SA. This study assessed the retention effects of long-term balance training with and without vibrotactile SA among community-dwelling healthy older adults, and explored brain-related changes due to training with SA. Sixteen participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG) or control group (CG), and trained in their homes for eight weeks using smart-phone balance trainers.

Development and Content Validity of the Bilateral Vestibulopathy Questionnaire.

Background: To date, the burden and severity of the full spectrum of bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) symptoms has not yet been measured in a standardized manner. Since therapeutic interventions aiming to improve BVP symptoms are emerging, the need for a new standardized assessment tool that encompasses the specific aspects of BVP arises. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a multi-item Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) that captures the clinically important symptoms of BVP and assesses its impact on daily life.

The reliability of the Dutch version of the vestibular activities avoidance instrument in persons with and without dizziness.

Background: Avoidance of activities that trigger dizziness in persons with vestibular disorders may inhibit dynamic vestibular compensation mechanisms.

Objective: To determine the reliability of the Vestibular Activities Avoidance Instrument (VAAI) 81 and 9 item tool and to compare the VAAI scores in Dutch-speaking healthy adults and in patients with vestibular disorders.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted including 151 healthy participants and 106 participants with dizziness.

Tai Chi for Dynamic Balance Training Among Individuals with Cerebellar Ataxia: An Assessor-Blinded Randomized-Controlled Trial.

To evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of 12 weeks of Tai Chi training on dynamic balance and disease severity among individuals with cerebellar ataxia (CA). An assessor-blinded, two-arm, parallel-group randomized-controlled trial was conducted among 24 participants with CA. Participants were randomized to receive either Tai Chi intervention ( = 12) or usual care ( = 12).

Vestibular Rehabilitation Telehealth During the SAEA-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, physical therapists transitioned to provide telehealth in the United States. We sought to determine the experiences of physical therapists delivering telerehabilitation for vestibular disorders including barriers, preferences, and concerns. A survey was created using the results of a focus group and previously published studies.