Article

The effects of vestibular rehabilitation on poststroke patients are unknown. This
study aimed to investigate whether or not vestibular rehabilitation would improve
both the vestibulo-ocular reflex and gait performance of patients with poststroke
hemiparesis. Twenty-eight patients with stroke were assigned randomly to either
an experimental group (N=14)
or a control group (N=14).
The experimental group
performed the conventional physical therapy for 40 min and vestibular
rehabilitation for 20 min, as a 60 min session, during the first 3 weeks and then
completed only the conventional intervention for 60 min for the following 3
weeks. The control group performed only the 60 min conventional physical therapy
for 6 weeks. Both groups were measured using the gaze stabilization test, the 10
m walking test, the timed up and go test, and the dynamic gait index. Patients
were assessed at baseline, and at 3 and 6 weeks. Although the control group
showed no significant difference in any outcome measures, the experimental group
showed an improvement in gaze stabilization test scoring, which increased
significantly after 3 weeks compared with the baseline (P=0.030). The dynamic
gait index was also significantly increased after 3 and 6 weeks compared with the
baseline (P=0.049 and 0.024, respectively). This study indicated that vestibular
rehabilitation might improve poststroke patients' vestibulo-ocular reflex.
Moreover, patients might show improved gait performance at least up to 3 weeks
after the vestibular intervention by the sensory reweight to coordinate vestibular input.

Langue : ANGLAIS