Clinical Significance of Bodily Sway Velocity in the Course of Recovery from Vestibular Disorders

Abstract

Dysequilibrium associated with vertigo is usually improved rapidly by a compensatory function of the nervous system and the restoration of equilibrium is considered. to be largely influenced by patient's ability of adjustment to deranged vestibular functions. Thus, when the sequence of events during the recovery is analysed by certain parameters; the changes of bodily sway velocity during a short period of time (90 sec period from the starting of examination by blind-folding) it would be possible to estimate or predict one's ability to restore from dysequilibrium. For this purpose, the bodily sway analysis with 8 directional velocities was utilized; for a 90 sec study period right after the eyes closure on the platform, the velocity and the velocity difference were computer-analyzed. This study disclosed that a normal individual shows a convergence of velocity, that is, the velocity gets faster as soon as the eyes closed. and then gradually slowed down. This appears to be a phenomenon of physiological convergence. This phenomenon is elicited most distinctly when the velocity difference is utilized as a parameter. The compensatory function for dysequilibrium appears to correlate well with the duration and characteristics of convergence phenomenon and thus the recovery from the vestibular dysfunction may be predicted when the convergence process is evaluated.