OBJECTIVE: To compare a computer-assisted home exercise program with conservative home-training following printed instructions in the rehabilitation of elderly patients with vestibular dysfunction. DESIGN: Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Geriatric department of a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with chronic dizziness due to vestibular dysfunction (n = 63) were randomly assigned to either rehabilitation in the clinic followed by computer-assisted home exercises (intervention group: n = 32) or rehabilitation in the clinic followed by home exercises according to printed instructions (control group: n = 31). INTERVENTIONS: Patients in the intervention group received assisted rehabilitation by a computer program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measurements at baseline and at 8 and 16 weeks were compared. These included the One Leg Stand Test, Dynamic Gait Index, Chair Stand Test, Motion Sensitivity Test, Short Form-12, Dizziness Handicap Inventory, and visual analog scale. RESULTS: Both groups improved significantly during 16 weeks of rehabilitation. However, neither t tests nor repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated any significant differences between the 2 groups. The overall compliance rate to computer program exercises during 16 weeks was 57%. CONCLUSIONS: A computer-assisted program to support the home training of elderly patients with vestibular dysfunction did not improve rehabilitation more than did printed instructions.

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