Effect of Vestibular Rehabilitation on Postural Stability in Children with Visual Impairment

Background and Aim: Postural stability is monitored by a circuitous system, particularly visual perception, vestibular apparatus, and somatosensory organs. The ability to maintain balance is significantly compromised in children with visual impairment and has higher risks of falls than the normal sighted children. Children with visual disability reported delayed motor dexterity such as eye-hand coordination, gross and fine motor control involving struggle in gait procurement and postural control. Vestibular rehabilitation is  the relevant therapy to restitute for maintaining postural control in the absence of visual information. This study aimed to find the effect of vestibular rehabilitation on postural stability in children with visual impairment. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was done in pre and post-test type design on 30 boys in the age group of 7-16 years’ children with visual impairment. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy was used as the exercise protocol to improve functional balance and reduction of falls in children with visual impairment for six weeks. Results: Statistical analysis was done between pre-test and post-test readings with SPSS 20 and there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test of total score and individual scores of Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) after the intervention, since (p<0.05). Conclusion: Vestibular rehabilitation therapy improved the capability of postural controlling and reduces the risk of falls to an extent in children with visual impairment. Keywords: Visual impairment; postural stability; vestibular rehabilitation; pediatric balance scale; high risk of falls