Specific Interventions | Description/Progressions | Rationale |
VOR X1/X2 exercises with walking | Same X1/X2 exercises described previously but now performed during forward ambulation with the patient holding the pen. Progressed with duration, speed of gait and head turns. | Mimic functional everyday tasks and promote safe vestibular adaptation. |
VOR X1/X2 exercises with side-stepping | Same X1/X2 exercises described previously but now performed while side-stepping in frontal plane with patient holding the pen. Progressed with duration, speed of gait and head turns. | Challenge vestibular system and promote vestibular adaption through functional movement. |
Stool push | With patient seated on stool, therapist pushes patient (forward translation) while patient performed head turns in various directions. Progressed with speed of head turns and speed of linear translation. | Mimic functional driving scenario and enhance vestibular adaptation. |
Stability ball arm reaches | Patient seated on stability ball and reaches arms in various directions with trunk excursion. Progressed to eyes closed and perturbations. | Challenge dynamic stability and encourage cephalocaudal functional activity. |
Stability ball marching | Patient seated on stability ball alternating lifting legs from floor. Progressed to opposite arm/leg, eyes closed, and perturbations. | Narrow base of support in order to increase somatosensory demands. |
Ladder drills | Various stepping drills with agility ladder. Progressed to head turns, different visual fixation, increased speeds. | Reinforce normalized movement patterns and ability for vestibular system to adapt to transition in direction and speed. |
Cone reaches | Hip hinge on single leg (golfer’s lift) reaching for cones placed near patient’s feet. | Mimic functional reaching task and promote vestibular adaptation. |
Patient education on playing flute | Patient brought flute into clinic so therapist could understand demands of the activity and offer suggestions to minimize symptoms. | Functional activity of high importance to patient. |