Changes in fall risk score and perception of disability in patients with central vertigo after vestibular rehabilitation

Background: Central vestibular pathology impacts quality of life and increases the risk of falls. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in fall risk and perception of disability in patients with central vertigo following a supervised vestibular rehabilitation (VR). Method: This was a longitudinal and descriptive study of a historical cohort with deliberate intervention. Forty-six records of patients with central vestibular pathology (2017-2025) who underwent a personalized VR program were analyzed. Evaluations were performed using the following tests and scales: Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Activities- specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), m-CTSIB, and Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP). Results: Vascular etiology was the most frequent (39.3%). A statistically significant improvement was observed on all scales applied following the intervention. The DHI showed a mean decrease of 12.96 ± 18.28 points (p = 0.000). In functional tests, significant increases were recorded in the DGI (3.91 ± 4.48 points, p = 0.000), m-CTSIB (13.73 ± 23.90 seconds, p = 0.001), and the CDP composite score (6.40 ± 13.08 points, p = 0.041). The improvement was independent of age, sex, duration of the pathology, or chronic-degenerative diseases. Conclusions: Supervised VR is an effective intervention for reducing fall risk and perception of disability in patients with central vestibulopathy. The results allow for the proposal of new institutional discharge criteria based on objective and quantitative measures.