For Healthcare Professionals:
Dizziness, balance problems, and gait instability are common sequelae after stroke and can severely affect patients’ quality of life. Increasing attention is being paid to vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VR)—a treatment concept originally developed for vestibular organ disorders.
A recent systematic review (Fan et al., 2025) analyzed 15 studies including 769 stroke patients. The findings: VR can achieve measurable improvements in centrally induced balance disorders, particularly in the subacute phase after stroke.
Key results
Concrete effects included:
- Improved postural and gait stability (e.g., reduced time in the Timed Up and Go test)
- Reduced dizziness
- Better perceived balance in daily life
- Especially effective: programs lasting at least 4 weeks and combining eye–head coordination with rotational movements
Challenges
Despite encouraging results, study quality and designs remain heterogeneous. There are no standardized protocols regarding duration, intensity, and structure of exercises. Individual tailoring is often lacking, and many programs follow a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Objective vestibular testing is rarely implemented.
Conclusion for Practice
VR is promising, but to be effective it should be:
- individually tailored,
- conducted for at least 4 weeks,
- focused on central compensation mechanisms with high-repetition practice.
The greatest benefits appear during the early post-stroke phase (1–6 months).
👉 Interested in learning how to apply vestibular rehabilitation specifically for central vestibular disorders?
Current further education opportunities can be found in the IVRT Course search.
For Patients – Easy to Understand
Standing and walking safely again after stroke
Many people feel unsteady on their feet after a stroke. Dizziness, a sense of imbalance, or fear of walking are common and can greatly limit daily life.
The good news
There is a therapy that can help: vestibular rehabilitation. Originally developed for balance organ disorders, it has also proven effective after stroke.
What does vestibular rehabilitation achieve?
• more security when walking and standing
• less dizziness
• more confidence in your own body
The exercises are simple, can be adapted individually, and are especially effective when practiced regularly over several weeks.
Important to know
Not every exercise is right for everyone. That is why it is important that specially trained therapists guide and support the treatment.
🎯 Specially trained IVRT® dizziness and vestibular therapistswith experience in post-stroke rehabilitation you can find via the IVRT therapist search