Vestibular Rehabilitation: Achieving Habituation through Virtual Environments
- Ana Souto
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Complaints of dizziness and a feeling of unsteadiness in visually complex environments, such as in grocery stores, during traffic, and among crowds, are frequent in patients suffering from vestibular disorders. One explanation for this is the higher reliance on visual information in these patients for postural orientation. The fear and anxiety associated with these daily life scenarios often lead to avoidance behaviour, which in turn increases the sensitivity to it.
It is highly consensual that habituation exercises are effective in reducing symptoms and the discomfort associated with facing visually complex environments. The idea is that the repeated exposure to visual environments that provoke symptoms can help the Central Nervous System to better process and integrate conflictive sensory information, decreasing the reliance on the visual input and consequently reducing the symptoms.
Achieving Habituation through Virtual Environments
These immersive settings replicate everyday situations that patients often avoid due to discomfort or fear. By practising in a controlled, safe and repeatable virtual environment, patients can gradually build tolerance, improve confidence and reduce avoidance behaviours and anxiety. This process supports achieving habituation through virtual environments, allowing patients to confront provocative stimuli progressively while strengthening their resilience to visually‑induced symptoms.
These immersive settings replicate everyday situations that patients often avoid due to discomfort or fear.
Monitoring the patient´s response.
Exercise can be performed in virtual environments that vary in complexity, visual contrast, and motion speed, allowing adaptation to therapeutic goals and to each patient’s level of tolerance.
In addition to considering the patient´s perceived symptoms of dizziness and instability, we can also assess the patient´s level of tolerance throughout the intervention by using a force plate to measure balance responses during exposure to these virtual environments.
The PhysioSensing Otoneuro System was designed to provide maximum flexibility in clinical practice:
Choose how to display the virtual environments: either through a head‑mounted display or directly on the patient’s monitor. This ensures comfort and accessibility, as not every patient tolerates or enjoys virtual reality.
Adapt exercises in real time: visual motion speed, direction, contrast, and the virtual environments themselves can be modified during the session without interrupting the exercise.
Monitor patient responses continuously: track center of pressure (CoP) data using the posturography force plate to assess balance and postural control objectively.
Go check the Otoneuro System Product Sheet
Ana Souto
Meet Ana, a physiotherapist with a master's degree in human physiology and certified by the American Institute of Balance.
Ana currently serves as the clinical specialist at PhysioSensing, a cutting-edge Balance Assessment and training device. Her approach is firmly rooted in the latest scientific findings, ensuring that PhysioSensing users receive the most effective and up-to-date care. In addition to her role in designing tailored programs, Ana plays a pivotal role in guiding new clients through the learning process of using PhysioSensing. She also provides advanced training and support to existing customers seeking to further deepen their clinical practice knowledge and stay on top of the latest scientific advancements.
