Vestibular Function Disorder

This study aims to evaluate the effects of an Ai Chi-based rehabilitation program on balance, dizziness severity, and quality of life in patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a control group receiving standard home-based vestibular rehabilitation exercises or an intervention group receiving additional Ai Chi sessions. The intervention will be conducted over a 4-week period with a total of 10 sessions under the supervision of a certified therapist.

The goal of this prospective cohort study is to investigate the vestibular function in children suspected of balance disorders, and to follow up on their balance progressions after rehabilitation. The main hypothesis of the study is that delayed gross motor development and symptoms of dizziness and balance problems in some children are caused by vestibular dysfunction. The investigators expect that early detection and rehabilitation by a physiotherapist will improve the balance ability for the child. The participants will be children in the age of 6 months to 10 years with delayed gross motor development and/or with dizziness/balance problems. The test protocol consists of questionnaires, hearing screening and vestibular and postural assessments.

Previous studies have demonstrated that obesity negatively affects the human vestibular system. However, whether improvement in vestibular function occurs following the resolution of obesity remains an area requiring further investigation. Therefore, the investigators aimed to assess and analyze vestibular system functions in patients scheduled for bariatric surgery, both before the surgery, after the surgery, and following significant weight loss. Participants aged between 18 and 60 years who meet the inclusion criteria will be enrolled in the study. Initially, participants will undergo medical history assessment and Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement. The enrolled participants will be evaluated using the following tests at three different time points-preoperatively, at the 1st month postoperatively, and at the 6th month postoperatively: Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), static posturography test, Berg Balance Scale, SF-12 Quality of Life Scale, and the Activity-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale. Although obesity has been shown to be associated with impaired postural balance, studies evaluating the direct effect of BMI on postural sway are limited. The aim of our study is to assess the vestibular system in obese patients before and after bariatric surgery. Through this, the investigators hope to contribute to the literature by providing balance assessments in individuals with obesity