Affiliations: [a]
Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| [b]
Department of Health and Kinesiology, University of Utah, UT, USA
| [c]
Department of Orthopedics, University of Utah, UT, USA
| [d]
Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy, U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, San Antonio, TX, USA
| [e]
School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Angela R. Weston, U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, 3630 Stanley Road, San Antonio, TX 78234, USA. Tel.:/Fax: +1 512 757 6759; Email: angela_weston@baylor.edu.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Individuals after a vestibular schwannoma resection (VSR) experience significant vestibular symptoms that can be provoked with turning. Vestibular rehabilitation assists in recovery of function and symptom relief, however turning response is unknown. OBJECTIVE:Examine peak turning speed response to surgery and rehabilitation. METHODS:Eight participants with a vestibular schwannoma (PwVS) and five healthy controls (HC) participated in this study. Peak turning speed (PTS) was captured with inertial measurement units (IMU) at the head and/or trunk during turning tasks at a pre-operative, post-operative and post-treatment assessment. Vestibular rehabilitation was provided twice weekly for six weeks. Linear mixed models were used to assess change in PTS across time points. RESULTS:PwVS performed slower PTS than HC prior to surgery. PTS was significantly slower post-operatively compared to pre-operative during walking with head turns (B = –61.03, p = 0.004), two-minute walk test (B = –37.33, p = 0.015), 360° turn (B range from 50.05 to –57.4, p < 0.05) and complex turning course (CTC) at the trunk (B = –18.63, p = 0.009). Post-treatment PTS was significantly faster than pre-operative during CTC at the head (B = 18.46, p = 0.014) and trunk (B = 15.99, p = 0.023). CONCLUSION:PwVS may have turning deficits prior to surgical resection. PTS was significantly affected post-operatively, however improved with rehabilitation.
