Balance in posterior and horizontal canal type benign paroxysmal positional vertigo before and after canalith repositioning maneuvers

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is characterized by acute, brief and rotatory vertigo attacks provoked by changes in head position. Most patients complain of a loss of equilibrium and unstable gait during and between the vertigo attacks. Canalith repositioning maneuvers (CRM) relieve attacks and improve Postural stability. In this study balance ability of 32 patients with PC BPPV and 12 patients with HC BPPV before and after treatment with CRM was investigated. 50 healthy volunteers served as the control group. Static balance was measured as mean center of gravity sway velocity recorded in four different conditions: on a static platform and on foam with eyes open and closed. Dynamic balance was measured in tandem walk test. PC BPPV patients demonstrated greater sway velocity in stance on foam with eyes closed. After CRM the velocity decreased significantly. The results of the HC BPPV patients were not different from the healthy volunteers all through the four test conditions. Walking speed of the patients both with PC BPPV and HC BPPV was significantly low. It increased after treatment in both groups. In conclusion, patients with PC BPPV had impaired static balance ability due to a clot in the affected canal. Dynamic balance ability measured by walking speed was impaired both in PC and HC BPPV patients. Static and dynamic deficits improved significantly after CRM. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.