Balance retraining

Balance retraining, or vestibular rehabilitation, is a remedial approach using exercise to improve balance. The ultimate goals of balance retraining are to decrease symptoms of dizziness and vertigo, improve balance, increase activity levels and minimize falls. Balance retraining is designed to help the central nervous system compensate for loss of balance due to a vestibular disorder.

Typically a team of medical professionals will determine an effective balance retraining program. This team may include a physician with a specialty in diagnosing and treating balance disorders (a neurologist or otolaryngologist), a physical therapist trained in balance and vestibular therapy, and an occupational therapist. A complete evaluation will be conducted to tailor a specific exercise program for the patient. The evaluation may consist of taking a thorough medical history from the patient, identifying symptoms, neurological testing, range-of-motion testing, and gait assessment.

Exercise protocols can include vestibular habituation exercises, where repeated stimuli to provoke dizziness and vertigo will cause the brain to habituate to the stimuli. Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) exercise maintains stable gaze and visual focus during active and passive motion. Balance and gait exercises are physical exercises designed to improve coordination of muscles and improve motor control.

Follow-up evaluations are important to monitor the patient's progress and allow for changes during rehabilitation. The balance retraining program generally consists of several visits over four to six weeks although frequency depends on the individual patient.

When balance retraining exercises are performed regularly and faithfully, they can be an effective way of improving symptoms of imbalance disorder, including dizziness and vertigo, as well as fatigue and headache. In many cases balance retraining is the only therapy required to treat imbalance disorders.