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Background: Unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) may lead to modifications on metabolism and body composition. Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) demonstrated its effectiveness in ameliorating balance function and several other daily-living aspects. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate metabolic composition, by means of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and daily activity, with the use of a wrist-worn movement tracker, in UVH participants before and after VR, and to compare data with a healthy control group (CG) of adults. Methods: 46 UVH and 60 CG participants underwent otoneurological testing, self-report and performance questionnaires, BIA, and wore a device tracking daily movement and energy expenditure for one full day; this was performed before and after VR. Results: UVH participants demonstrated a significant (p = 0.008) increase in muscle mass after VR, and, when compared to CG, no differences were present with respect to visceral fat and muscle mass. UVH adults reported a significant increase in energy expenditure spent in movement (p = 0.008) and during the day (p = 0.009), daily number of strides (p = 0.009) and calories spent in sweeping (p = 0.009) and stairing (p = 0.008). Conclusions: Results from this study show that VR provided an improvement of metabolic function and body composition of people with UVH, possibly by contrasting structural modifications in neural pathways stemming from the vestibular nuclei and connected to autonomous function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate posturography measurements, and their association with other clinical tests used for cervicogenic dizziness diagnosis, in a cohort of subjects suffering from cervicogenic dizziness, compared with healthy subjects. Ninety-three cervicogenic dizziness patients and 98 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects underwent video-Head impulse test, posturography testing, evaluation of cervical spine movements by means of cervical range of motion goniometer and self-report and performance measures, including Dizziness Handicap Inventory, Neck Disability Index, Neck Pain Intensity, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Cervicogenic dizziness patients demonstrated significant increases in classical posturography parameters (i.e., surface and length) and in power spectra values within middle and high-frequency interval depicting balance control alterations especially due to proprioceptive integration changes. Furthermore, decreases in degrees of cervical range of motion and increases of self-report and performance measures – highlighting significant complaints of subjective feeling of dizziness – were found in these patients when compared with healthy subjects. Multiple correlations were found between posturography testing and cervical range of motion and Dizziness Handicap Inventory as well as between different self-report and performance measures in cervicogenic dizziness patients. The implementation of posturography – including power spectra analysis - coupled with appropriate exclusion of other disorders, may represent a useful tool in improving cervicogenic dizziness assessment in terms of cost, time consumption and correlation with other measurements. Uncertainties in diagnostic assessment of cervicogenic dizziness reflect doubts regarding the causes underpinning the symptoms of imbalance, unsteadiness, and disorientation. Posturography measurement is a low-cost, time-sparing technique and its implementations have proven to be useful in detecting significant alterations in body sway during perturbating situations. Implementation of power spectra analysis on posturography testing may represent a useful tool in improving cervicogenic dizziness assessment also in terms of rehabilitative treatment follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to outline an age-dependent range of posturography measures obtained from healthy children. One hundred and fifty healthy 4-18-year-old children underwent video Head Impulse Test and static posturography testing. Surface, length and power spectra values were compared between each group of pupils and 32 healthy adults. As well as a significant (p < 0.025) increase in surface and length, when compared to healthy adults, increased values within the low/middle frequency domain and within the high frequency domain were also observed in 4-13 and 4-7-year-old children, respectively. In conclusion, although the nature of postural control development remains largely undetermined, this study represents a first attempt to outline an age-dependent normal range of the relative contribution of inputs in typically developing children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) may lead to modifications on metabolism and body composition. Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) demonstrated its effectiveness in ameliorating balance function and several other daily-living aspects., Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate metabolic composition, by means of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and daily activity, with the use of a wrist-worn movement tracker, in UVH participants before and after VR, and to compare data with a healthy control group (CG) of adults., Methods: 46 UVH and 60 CG participants underwent otoneurological testing, self-report and performance questionnaires, BIA, and wore a device tracking daily movement and energy expenditure for one full day; this was performed before and after VR., Results: UVH participants demonstrated a significant (p = 0.008) increase in muscle mass after VR, and, when compared to CG, no differences were present with respect to visceral fat and muscle mass. UVH adults reported a significant increase in energy expenditure spent in movement (p = 0.008) and during the day (p = 0.009), daily number of strides (p = 0.009) and calories spent in sweeping (p = 0.009) and stairing (p = 0.008)., Conclusions: Results from this study show that VR provided an improvement of metabolic function and body composition of people with UVH, possibly by contrasting structural modifications in neural pathways stemming from the vestibular nuclei and connected to autonomous function.