Effect of Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy on Patients With Brain Radiological Findings That Affect Balance Functions

Occurrence of cerebrovascular diseases, particularly of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), appears to play some role in the development of gait and balance impairment . Beside small vessel disease , stroke is one of the most common cause of long-term adult disability leading to cognitive and motor function impairments. Particularly, gait and balance disorders that may contribute to immobility and falls.

The design of personalized rehabilitation protocols, focused on the recovery of dynamic balance ability would be fundamental to reduce these deficits and consequently, the risk of falling, thus improving patients' quality of life. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is an exercise-based treatment program designed to promote vestibular adaptation and substitution. The goals of VRT are to enhance gaze stability, to enhance postural stability, to improve vertigo, and to improve activities of daily living. VRT facilitates vestibular recovery mechanisms: vestibular adaptation, substitution by the other eye-movement systems, substitution by vision, somatosensory cues, other postural strategies, and habituation .