Exercise and recovery from vestibular injury

Exercise after vestibular injury is potentially an important modality in the recovery process. In this study, the effects of injury on the vestibular system were examined experimentally in cats. Data from healthy normal cats, labyrinthectomized cats, and labyrinthectomized cats treated with exercise were examined. Evaluation of performance was accomplished with caloric, optokinetic, and sinusoidal acceleration testing. Results in normal cats indicated stable, symmetrical vestibular responses on repetitive testing, without evidence for habituation. Comparison of the experimental groups showed that the animals treated with exercise had a significant difference in terms of recovery. The exercised group demonstrated a diminished directional preponderance, a shorter period of complete asymmetry, and a shorter recovery time, which was 58 to 70 per cent faster than that of the non-exercised group. The authors conclude that a general type of exercise will markedly affect and shorten the recovery pattern in the labyrinthectomized cat.