Effect of vestibular rehabilitation treatment on functional recovery in ischemic stroke patients with vestibular symptoms
LI Ya-qing
YIN Miao-miao
CHEN Jun-ying
WANG Fei
ZHANG Yue
WU Jia-ling
Abstract：Objective To explore the effect of vestibular rehabilitation treatment on subjective symptoms,walking function and dynamic balance function of ischemic stroke patients with vestibular symptoms.Methods A total of 27 patients with vestibular symptoms who underwent vestibular rehabilitation treatment in Tianjin Huanhu Hospital from January 2022 to December 2024 were included,and they underwent individualized vestibular rehabilitation treatment,including optokinetic training,gaze stabilization,head and posture stabilization training and walking training for 30 times.Before and after the treatment,a wearable sensor inertial measurement unit was used to perform a 7 Meter Walk Test(7MWT)to assess gait,recorded the gait parameters including stride length,gait speed,percentage of double support phase time,foot strike angle(FSA),toe off angle(TOA),and turning angle velocity.The Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale(ABC)to assess subjective balance confidence in completing various tasks,the dizziness/vertigo Visual Analog Scores(VAS)to assess the degree of dizziness/vertigo,the Bucket Test to assess the angle of subjective visual vertical(SVV)deviation,the Dizziness Handicap Inventory(DHI)to assess the degree of dizziness disability,Dynamic Gait Index(DGI)to assess objective balance function,and Timed Up-Go Test(TUGT)to assess dynamic balance and turning ability.Spearman rank correlation analysis to explore the correlation of gait parameter differences with subjective tests and dynamic balance function before and after vestibular rehabilitation treatment.Results After vestibular rehabilitation treatment,stride length(t=-4.877,P=0.000),gait speed(t=-4.458,P=0.000),bipedal FSA(left foot t=-5.590,P=0.000;right foot t=-4.751,P=0.000)and TOA(left foot t=-3.855,P=0.001;right foot t=-3.648,P=0.001),turning angle velocity(t=-5.140,P=0.000),ABC score(Z=-3.861,P=0.000)and DGI score(Z=-4.381,P=0.000)were higher,while percentage of double support phase time(t=-3.940,P=0.000),dizziness/vertigo VAS score(Z=-2.952,P=0.003),SVV(Z=-3.499,P=0.000),DHI score(Z=-3.397,P=0.001)and TUGT time(Z=-3.327,P=0.001)were lower than those of pre-treatment.Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that increase in step length was associated with improvement in ABC(rs=0.464,P=0.015),SVV(rs=-0.469,P=0.014),DGI(rs=0.685,P=0.000)and TUGT(rs=-0.569,P=0.002).The increase in gait speed was associated with improvement in ABC(rs=0.525,P=0.005),SVV(rs=-0.381,P=0.049),DGI(rs=0.734,P=0.000)and TUGT(rs=-0.523,P=0.005).The decrease in percentage of double support phase time was significantly associated with improvement in ABC(rs=-0.504,P=0.007),SVV(rs=0.405,P=0.036),DGI(rs=-0.702,P=0.000)and TUGT(rs=0.559,P=0.002).Conclusions Vestibular rehabilitation treatment can significantly improve the subjective perception of dizziness/vertigo,improve walking ability,ability to perform daily activities,confidence in balance,and dynamic balance function,and reduce the risk of falls in ischemic stroke patients with vestibular symptoms.It provides a basis for the implementation of precise individualized vestibular rehabilitation treatment in ischemic stroke patients with vestibular symptoms.
Keywords：Ischemic strokeVestibular diseasesPostural balanceVertigoRehabilitation
Publication Date：2025-08-25
Online Publishing Date：2025-09-22(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 725-731 )