ObjectiveToinvestigateeffectoffeetorientationontheevaluationoftheposturalstabilityinpatientswithunilateralvestibularhypofunction(UVH)bytimedstandingtestsandstaticposturography(SPG).Methods65subjectswithUVHand92healthysubjectsregardedascontrolgrouptooktheposturalstabilitytestsinfourdifferentstancesincluding(1)standardRombergtest,(2)feet-apartstancetest,(3)tandemand(4)unilateralstandingtests.Ineachstance,theposturalstabilitywasmeasuredinbotheyesopen(EO)andeyesclosed(EC)conditions.Theaveragetimethatsubjectskeptbalancebeforefallingineachtestconditionswasrecordedbystopwatchasthetimedresult.Inaddition,theswayvelocity(SV)ofcenteroffootpressureintheuprightstanceduringstandardRombergtestandfeetapartstance,regardedasposturalstability,wasalsorecordedasSPG.Results(1)Thebalance-maintainingtimeoftheUVHgroupintandemandunilateralstandingwithEOandECwasdecreased(P<0.001)comparedwiththecontrolgroup.(2)TheSVsduringstandardRombergtestandfoot-apartstancewithEOwerenotdifferentbetweentheUVHgroupandcontrolgroup(P=0.118and0.110respectively),butsignificantwithECcondition(P<0.001).(3)Forbothgroups,theSVduringfoot-apartstandingwasshorterthanstandardRombergtestbothwithEOandEC(P<0.05andP<0.001).(4)TherewasnocorrelationbetweenthebalancetimeandSVforeithergroups(P>0.05).ConclusionsTheresultssuggestthatthetandemandunilateralstancetestsmayprovideadditionalinformationabouttheuprightstancetotheSPGmeasurementinpatientswithUVH.TheeffectoffeetorientationonSPGmeasurementsshouldbeconsidered.
