Vertigo

 Gaze stability and ocular control exercise

1.  Focusing with Head Turns  (Head Eye Coordination exercise))

This exercise helps in stabilizing the gaze with quick, short head movements.

* Sit in a comfortable chair and hold a card with a 1 inch letter written on it at arms length in front of you.

* While keeping eyes focused on the letter move your head from side to side approx. 30 degrees.   .

* Increase speed of head movement with each progression.

* As function improves, move the card opposite to the head movement while keeping the eyes focused on the letters.

* Move the head to the left and the card to the right keeping the eyes focused on the letters.

* Begins slowly and increase the speed as the test progresses. Progress from sitting to standing to a sharpened stance.

* Post the card on the wall with a plain background and progress to posting on a wall with a busy patterned background.

2.   Horizontal and Diagonal Head Movements)-This exercise helps to keep the vision stable with head movements.

* Sit in a comfortable chair with feet flat on the floor and hands on thighs.

* Have a target situated to your right and to your left as well as in the center.

* Quickly turn only your head and eyes to the right target pause for 2-3 seconds and then return to the middle target and pause for 2-3 seconds.

* Repeat 15-20 times

* Repeat the sequence to the left and center.

II. Compensation exercises Ocular motor exercises

In a normal person fullest utilization of all the 3 inputs for balance (Eyes, Inner Ear, Proprioception) is usually not required. But when one of these input systems is defective the brain uses remaining senses more effectively to compensate for the partial loss of function.

When the patient’s vestibular labyrinth is damaged, and to compensate for it we try to train the patient to use inputs from other component of balance system more effectively (eyes and the proprioceptors)

See components of...