6 Recommended Exercises For Vertigo
According to the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, about 80% of people experience an episode of vertigo at some point in their life, with a higher frequency in adults over 40 years of age. Therefore, in this article we will explain 6 recommended maneuvers and exercises for vertigo.
Although there are different causes and types, the most common responds to an inner ear problem and is called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo . It usually appears after making changes in posture or movements of the head.
What happens is that a series of tiny crystals of calcium that are in the inner ear and allow the balance are disarranged inserting in the semicircular canal of the ear. Thus, they cause the sensation that everything revolves around.
How do the recommended exercises for vertigo work?
The exercises recommended for vertigo allow the crystals that have been dislocated to return to the area of the inner ear, where they do not cause symptoms. Before performing them, it is important to identify which ear is causing the discomfort.
The easiest way to identify it is by turning the head to the right and left, looking at the shoulder. Once this movement is made, it is necessary to detect in which direction you feel the most vertigo. For example, if it increases when you tilt your head to the left side, this is most likely the affected ear.
Epley maneuver
The Epley maneuver consists of a series of head movements that are usually guided by a doctor or physical therapist. It is done as follows:
- With the patient seated on a stretcher, the specialist turns his head 45 degrees towards the affected ear.
- Immediately tilt the patient to lie down, keeping the head tilted and letting it hang over the edge of the stretcher. You are likely to have a vertigo attack at this time. So the position will be held until it stops.
- The specialist then turns the patient’s head 90 degrees toward the unaffected ear, thus rearranging the crystals.
Home version of the maneuver
Although this maneuver must be supervised by an expert, we explain a variation that can be done safely at home:
- Sit upright on the bed with your legs stretched forward and supported by the mattress.
- Put a pillow behind, so that when you lie down it is at shoulder height.
- Turn your head 45 degrees toward the affected ear.
- Lean back quickly putting your shoulders on the pillow and wait 30 seconds.
- Turn your head 90 degrees, facing the opposite side to where you were and wait 30 seconds.
- Return to the starting position, sitting upright.
Semont Maneuver
Like the Epley maneuver, the Semont maneuver should be guided by a physician or physical therapist. It is done as follows:
- With the patient seated on the table, the specialist turns the head 45 degrees away from the affected ear.
- Keeping the head turned, the specialist lays the patient on their side, towards the side of the affected ear. There, he holds it for 30 seconds.
- You can then sit back in the starting position.
Foster maneuver
The Foster maneuver is one of the easiest to perform because it does not require lying in bed or the help of another person. You must follow the steps below:
- Kneel on a comfortable surface and put your hands on the floor while moving your head up and down until you feel the dizziness has subsided.
- Next, bring your head down to the ground, trying to touch your knees.
- Without lifting your head off the ground, turn it 45 degrees to the side of the ear that is affecting you, facing your shoulder. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
- With your head turned 45 degrees, raise it to the same level as your shoulders. Once there, you must wait another 30 seconds with your head on one side.
- At the end of the 30 seconds, raise your head until you are erect.
To be effective, it is necessary to repeat the maneuver three to five times with a 15-minute break between each exercise.
Brandt-Daroff exercise
Brandt-Daroff exercises are very easy to do at home. To do this, you must sit on your bed and follow the following steps:
- Lie on your side with your head facing up, in a 45-degree position relative to the bed.
- Stay in this position for 30 seconds or until the vertigo subsides.
- Then return to the sitting position.
- Lie on the opposite side and repeat the same routine.
According to a publication made in the Journal of Physiotherapy of the San Antonio Catholic University of Murcia, the Brandt-Daroff exercises have a high efficiency, as long as the patient performs 5 series, at least 3 times a day, for two weeks consecutive.
Other recommended exercises for vertigo
There are other exercises recommended for vertigo that can help control the disorder. It is important that it be carried out with caution to avoid falls and injuries derived from fainting, which sometimes accompany the syndrome.
Balance and postural control exercises
These exercises aim to give an adequate motor response to certain sensory stimuli to improve balance. Here we share some of the easiest:
- Go up and down 10 steps with your eyes open, several times. Then repeat the exercise with your eyes closed.
- With your feet apart and resting your ankles on a mat, shift your weight back and forth, without bending your hips, simulating the movement of a pendulum. Then repeat the exercise sideways, several times. Once you feel comfortable, repeat it with your eyes closed.
- Walk on your toes back and forth in a straight line. First do it with your eyes open and then repeat it with your eyes closed.
- Stand on one leg for about 30 seconds. Do it first with your eyes open and then with your eyes closed. Repeat 5 times with each leg.
- Stand near a surface that you can lean on and lift one foot to outline the letters of the alphabet. Once you have done it with one leg, repeat it with the other.
Exercise to improve the eye reflex and stabilize the gaze
This exercise is intended to improve visual interaction when making head movements and to achieve greater gaze stability. A card is placed against a wall and you stand about 25 centimeters from it.
Immediately, you move your head slowly, horizontally from left to right, trying to keep the letters in focus. Do this exercise for a minute, rest and repeat it moving vertically.
The exercises recommended for vertigo should be consulted with the doctor
Although these exercises do not usually have major contraindications, it is necessary that before performing them you consult a specialist about the causes of your vertigo and the most recommended exercises for the case. Especially if you have a neck or back injury.
It is important to know that during the performance it is normal to feel vertigo. Therefore, it is advisable to perform them calmly, rest between sets and wait a few minutes before standing up.
