Strategies for balance rehabilitation: fall risk and treatment.

Identification of fall risk for patients with known vestibular hypofunction is important because it affects the management and the level of independence of these patients. Patients with bilateral vestibular loss, overall, have a greater incidence of falls than the general community-dwelling population over the age of 65 years. In younger patients, the incidence of falls may be related to severity of vestibular loss and to overconfidence or a lack of caution in activities. Preliminary reports suggest that vestibular rehabilitation can reduce the fall risk in patients with vestibular loss.