The Relationship Between Sway Assessment, Dizziness Handicap Inventory and Videonystagmography Tests in Dizzy Patients

Kristine Sonstrom MS, Jennifer Franson-Hopper AuD, & Elias Michaelides MD

2015

The SWAY BalanceTM mobile application provides a convenient and attractive means of obtaining quantitative information on dizzy patients by measuring postural sway while isolating each component of the balance system. Our findings suggest there is no significant relationship between the VNG, DHI and SWAYTM Balance Assessment and no significant difference between test subjects and controls on the fall and mBESS assessment. Our results demonstrated the ceiling effect among different portions of the SWAYTM fall assessment and no significant differences between our test subjects and controls. It is suggested that modifications to the SWAYTM Balance protocol specific for those with vestibular related disorders could make the test more sensitive to asymptomatic and symptomatic dizzy patients. Although this pilot study did not indicate a significant relationship between these three measures, further research is warranted under specific conditions modified for those patients with vestibular related disorders.