vestibular rehabilitation
An exercise-based therapy program designed to reduce dizziness, improve balance, and restore gaze stability in patients with vestibular system dysfunction, frequently encountered in older adults.
Full Definition
Vestibular rehabilitation encompasses a range of specialized exercises—including gaze stabilisation drills, habituation exercises, and balance retraining tasks—that target the inner ear's role in spatial orientation and equilibrium. In geriatric rehabilitation, it is commonly prescribed following benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), central vestibular lesions from stroke, or age-related vestibular degeneration. The program is typically delivered by a physiotherapist with specialist vestibular training. Editors should hyphenate 'vestibular rehabilitation' only when used as a compound modifier before a noun (e.g., 'vestibular-rehabilitation program' is not standard; the noun phrase stands without hyphenation). It is meaningfully distinct from general balance training and should not be used as a synonym.
Usage
Usage note: Do not conflate with canalith repositioning procedures (e.g., the Epley maneuver), which are specific repositioning techniques rather than a broader rehabilitation program.
In Context
- "Following her stroke, the patient was referred for vestibular rehabilitation to address persistent vertigo and unsteady gait." — Inpatient rehabilitation referral letter
- "The chapter on vestibular rehabilitation required the editor to distinguish between central and peripheral vestibular disorders." — Editorial review of a geriatric medicine textbook