Effects of a walking program in patients with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction.

This was a pilot study with 21 participants and no control group, so changes cannot be attributed to walking alone. Walking was combined with monthly physical therapist feedback, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The walking dose was not specified beyond about thirty minutes per day, so intensity, pace, and context are unclear. Patients started the program at different times, but the analysis ignored timing differences. Physical activity was measured only on the first and last seven days with a wrist accelerometer, so daily activity patterns and types were not captured. Wrist acceleration may misclassify activity in patients with dizziness who move slowly or limit head movements. All participants had chronic symptoms for more than three months and canal paresis over twenty-five percent, so findings may not apply to acute or milder vestibular loss. The results text describes anxiety scores as increasing, while the table lists state scores as 45.8 ± 8.6 points before and 38.2 ± 10.4 points after, and trait scores as 48.7 ± 11.2 points before and 39.2 ± 10.0 points after.

The authors declared that there are no conflicts of interests in this study.

Do not conclude that walking alone caused the improvements. The study was a single-group pilot with no control, and participants also received monthly physical therapist feedback, so the effect of any one component cannot be separated.