Vestibular rehabilitation for dizziness and imbalance following concussion: A critically appraised topic

Abstract

Clinical Question: What is the efficacy of vestibular rehabilitation for treating imbalance and self-reported dizziness in patients experiencing prolonged symptoms of concussion? Clinical Bottom Line: There is consistent, but low-level, evidence supporting that vestibular rehabilitation can have a positive effect on self-reported dizziness (dizziness severity, Dizziness Handicap Inventory [DHI], Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale [ABC]) and objective balance (Sensory Organization Test [SOT], Balance Error Scoring System [BESS]) in patients with prolonged symptoms following concussion. Vestibular rehabilitation is not for every concussed patient. Several, though few, patients did not improve or became worse with the implementation of vestibular rehabilitation. Many of the vestibular rehabilitation exercises utilized in these studies are easily accessible to athletic trainers and, with informed decision making and proper oversight, could be implemented in the athletic training room.