Is it important to restrict head movement after Epley maneuver?

The effectiveness of postmaneuver postural restrictions is controversial in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

To verify the role of postural restrictions in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal, submitted to a single Epley maneuver.

clinical prospective.

Fifty eight patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal were randomly divided in two groups following the application of a unique Epley maneuver. The patients from group 1 were informed to restrict their head movements and to use a cervical collar and group 2 patients were not informed about these postmaneuver restrictions. The patients from both groups were reevaluated one week after Epley maneuver, regarding the presence of symptoms and positional nystagmus.

One week after Epley maneuver 82.1% of the patients from group 1 and 73.3% from group 2 didn't present positional nystagmus (p=0.421). There was a clinical improvement in 96.0% of the patients from group 1 and in 94.0% from group 2 (p=0.781).

The use of postural restrictions in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal didn't interfere in their clinical evaluation, one week after a unique Epley maneuver.