A Systematic Review About the Effects of the Vestibular Rehabilitation in Middle-Age and Older Adults
Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy (Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia)
Ricci, N. A., Aratani, M. C., et al. (2010).
Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy (Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia), 14(5), 361-371.
This systematic review compares the effect of vestibular rehabilitation to the effect of no treatment or a placebo on balance and vestibular function in middle-age and older adults, 40 years and older, with vestibular disorders.
Not stated
November 1998 to November 2008
Randomized controlled trials
9
<p>Overall, the studies found that exercise-based vestibular rehabilitation treatments improve postural control, functional capacity, and quality of life in middle-aged and older adults with vestibular syndrome. However, the limited number of studies and methodological differences across studies did not allow for comparison in order to determine the best exercise protocol, duration of intervention, or other treatment characteristics. Additional points of interest from this review include:</p><ul> <li>The majority of studies used the Cawthorne & Cooksey intervention. This protocol resulted in significant improvement in dynamic balance as compared to controls, though no differences between groups were observed for stability, tandem position, or on psycho-cognitive scales.</li> <li>Service delivery components (e.g., group vs. individual, duration, frequency) were variable across studies, so no comparison could be made.</li></ul>
