Gaze and Stair Walking in Patients With Vestibular Dysfunction

University of Zurich (UZH)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Vestibular Diseases

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02417545

KEK-ZH-2014-0509

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to assess the differences in gaze and gait during the stair and ramp negotiation (+transition to normal level walking) between healthy controls and vestibular patients (fallers and non-fallers).

Full description

For a better understanding of falls in patients with vestibular disorders it might be important to identify the challenging environmental that provoke functional deficits; e.g. stair or ramp negotiation. The three steps at the ground and at the top of stairs is the most common location for missteps and stair accidents. This is supported by the observation made in a 12-month prospective study were 32% of the falls happened during the last step going down stairs in vestibular patients.

It remains open if patient's vestibular dysfunctions have a different gaze or gait behavior than healthy individuals.

Enrollment: 48 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• All included patients are diagnosed with single or two-sided vestibular dysfunction.
• Adult male and female participant's (≥18 years)
• Signed informed consent after being informed

Exclusion criteria

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
• Acute pain
• Walking disability (independent walking distance <10 meters)
• Uncontrolled cardiovascular disease (e.g.: uncontrolled blood pressure)
• Gait problems caused by Hip or knee endoprothesis
• Weakness due to neurological problems
• Known or suspected non-compliance
• Contraindications on ethical grounds