Contribution of a posturographic six-test set to the evaluation of patients with peripheral vestibular disorders.

A posturographic six-test set was developed in order to investigate the contribution of each sensory input in the balance performance of patients with peripheral vestibular disturbances. In test 1 (t1) the three sensory inputs are contributing to balance. In (t2), the contribution of vision is excluded by closing the eyes; in (t3) the neck proprioceptor is influenced by extreme retroflexion of the head, and in (t4) the input of the foot-ankle proprioceptor is altered by standing on foam rubber. The first two conditions are combined with the third one in (t5-t6). This test procedure compares the results obtained when the input of one (or two) sensors is impeded or altered with the results when the same sensors are uninfluenced. This comparison allows us to evaluate the individual contribution of the sensory inputs involved in the process of balance, especially in the compensation process in patients with benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV) and with Ménière's disease. This comparative evaluation shows several "formulae." So can formulae with positive tests for head in retroflexion condition be more frequently met in the BPPV-group, whereas influence of visual exclusion is more frequently seen in the Ménière group.