Basic Exercises To Manage Vestibular Disorder

 

The damage to the vestibular system that helps control balance and eye movements leads to common symptoms like dizziness and lack of balance. To improve balance and reduce dizziness-related problems, there are certain do-at-home exercises that are of great help.

Benefits Of These Exercises:

• Relax the neck and shoulder muscles
• Train the eyes to move independently of the head
• Improve general co-ordination,
• Encourage natural unprompted movement.

Exercises to be Performed While Sitting

 

·         Eye Movements

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What to do?

• Look from side to side
• Look up and down
• Convergence exercise (Focus on finger moving from 3 feet to 1 foot away from face)

How to do?

Start slow and gradually pick up speed. Repeat this exercise 10 times twice a day.

·         Head Movements

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What to do?

• Bend head forward and backward
• Turn head from side to side.

How to do?

Start slow, pick up speed, and then perform with closedeyes. Repeat this exercise 10 times twice a day.

·         Shoulder Movements

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What to do?

• Shrugging & rotating shoulders.

How to do?

Start slow, pick up speed, and then perform with closedeyes.Repeat this exercise 10 times twice a day.

Body Movements

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What to do?

• Bend forward towards the ground while sitting on a chair.

How to do?

Start slow, pick up speed, and then perform with closedeyes. Repeat this exercise 10 times twice a day.

Exercises to be Performed While Standing

·         Sit Ups

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What to do?

• Sit down on a hair and stand up again and again for 10 times twice a day.

·         Ball Throwing

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What to do?

• Throw a ball to another person under the knee level.

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What to do?

• Throw a ball to another person above eye level.

Exercises to be Performed While Moving

• Walking In A Room

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What to do?

• Walk inside a room with eyes open and closed

• Walking Up & Down the steps

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What to do?

• Walk up and down the steps with eyes open and then closed.

Dos and Don’ts of  Vestibular Exercises:

Do these things before doing these exercises:

• Do ensure that you are in a safe environment before you start any of the exercises to reduce the risk of injury.
• Do not panic if you experience dizziness whilst doing these exercises. This is completely normal.
• Do consult a specialist or physiotherapist before performing these exercises.

Do not perform these exercises in the following conditions:

• Sudden change or fluctuation in hearing
• Onset of pressure or a feeling of fullness in your ear to the point of discomfort or pain (many people experience a slight increase in ear pressure but pain should never occur)
• Onset of ringing in your ears or a sudden change in intensity of already existing ringing
• Fluid discharge from your ears
• Pain and discomfort in your neck and back associated with doing the exercises

 

Content Reviewed by – Dr. Parmila Shrama