Effectiveness of Vestibular Rehabilitation Supported by a Three-Dimensional Motion Analysis System Compared with Posturography-Based Training

Abstract

Introduction: Balance disorders and dizziness are common clinical problems that may significantly affect functional mobility, independence, and quality of life. Vestibular rehabilitation is based on adaptation and compensation mechanisms and increasingly incorporates interactive technologies that may support balance training and patient engagement. The Microsoft Kinect system is one such technology that enables interactive, movement-based rehabilitation.Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate functional changes following rehabilitation using the Microsoft Kinect system compared with posturography-based training in patients with dizziness and balance disorders.Material and methods: The pilot study included 10 women aged 61–70 years with diagnosed dizziness and balance disorders. Participants were randomly allocated to two groups of five patients each. The Kinect group underwent rehabilitation using the SeeMe program and Microsoft Kinect, while the posturography group performed balance exercises using the Synapsys Posturography System. Rehabilitation was performed twice weekly for 20 minutes, with a total of 10 sessions. Functional mobility was assessed using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test before and after the rehabilitation program. A post-intervention investigator-developed questionnaire was also used to assess patients' subjective perception of the effects of rehabilitation.Results: A reduction in TUG completion time was observed in both groups. In the Kinect group, the median TUG time decreased from 10.79 s (IQR: 10.00–12.00) before rehabilitation to 9.20 s (IQR: 9.00–10.23) after rehabilitation. In the posturography group, the median TUG time decreased from 11.00 s (IQR: 11.00–12.00) to 8.00 s (IQR: 7.00–11.00). Within-group analysis did not demonstrate a statistically significant change in TUG time in either the Kinect group (p = 0.125) or the posturography group (p = 0.125). The between- group comparison of changes in TUG time also showed no statistically significant difference (U = 15.0; p = 0.690). The post-intervention questionnaire indicated a positive subjective perception of rehabilitation and good acceptance of both methods.Conclusions: Both Kinect-based rehabilitation and posturography-based training were associated with a favorable direction of functional change, reflected by a reduction in TUG completion time. However, no statistically significant difference between the two rehabilitation methods was demonstrated in this pilot study. The Kinect system may represent a useful adjunct to balance rehabilitation, although its superiority over posturography was not demonstrated. Further studies involving larger samples, validated assessment tools, and longer follow-up are warranted.