Effects of Balance Training With Gaze Stabilization Exercises in Elderly Patients With Chronic Dizziness
Condition: Chronic Dizziness
MeSH terms: Vertigo; Dizziness
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Effects of balance training with and without gaze stabilization exercises on clinical
      outcomes in elderly patients with chronic dizziness: A Randomized Controlled Trial
    

Detailed description: 
      In older adults dizziness is a common condition which is associated with repeated falls, fear
      of falling, depression, anxiety and ultimately loss of independence during activities of
      daily living. The main objective of this research was to compare the effects of balance
      training with and without Gaze Stabilization exercises on clinical outcomes in elderly
      patient with chronic dizziness.Total 64 participants after referral from neurologist were
      recruited in this study. These participants were randomly assigned into two groups i.e. Group
      A (Gaze group) and Group B (control group) with 32 participants in each group by sealed
      envelope method. Gaze group performed balance exercises with gaze stability exercises. Gaze
      stability exercises are further classified as adaptation and substitution exercises.
      Adaptation exercises support long term changes with a purpose of decreasing symptoms and
      maintain postural stability. On the other hand the substitution exercises improving central
      preprogrammed movement of eyes. Basically gaze stability exercises are defined as habituation
      exercises which reduce the symptoms of provoking stimulus by continuous exposure to it
      whereas, group B performed balance exercises with saccade eye exercises.Balance training
      includes both static and dynamic balance exercises, aimed to improved balance and postural
      stability with gradually increasing to challenging task. Exercises in balance training
      included a) single leg balance on firm surface b) heel stand c) marching on firm surface d)
      toe stand e) tandem walk f) forward and backward walking from normal base of support to
      weekly progression and training from eyes open to eye close from stable to unstable surface.
      Berg Balance Scale, Disability Handicapped inventory and Activity Specific Balance Confidence
      Scale were used to measure outcome variables.
    

Intervention name(s): Gaze Stabilization Exercises; Balance Training
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Gaze group performed balance exercises with gaze stability exercise.Gaze stability exercises included two types of exercises vestibular adaptation and substitution exercises. In Adaptation exercises individual need to fixate on a visual target during horizontal and vertical head movement with a purpose of increasing gaze stability and a long term gain to vestibular system. Subsitution exercises are planned to use other eye movement stratigies to substitute vestibular function and sustained visual fixation. During Substitution exercises individual need to perfomed eye head movement between target with a purpose of clear sighting during these tasks. Balance exercises consist of both static and dynamic balance exercises with weekly progression making balance exercises more challenging.; Participants performed balance training with saccade eye exercises.balance exercises included both static and dynamic balance exercises with a purpose of increasing mobility and stability of a posture by weekly progression. These exercises included standing on firm and foam surface with eyes open or close, heel stand, toe stand, marching on firm surface, forward and backward walking with normal base of support with weekly progression. Each task was performed for 5 repetitions with weekly progression in each task.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Health Services Research