Year: 2026 | Month: July-September | Volume: 11 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 313-322
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/gijhsr.20260334
Effectiveness of Tele-Rehabilitation Based Brandt- Daroff Exercise Versus Cawthorne-Cooksey Exercises on Dizziness and Disability in Patients with Posterior Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: An Experimental Study
Jhanvika Chauhan1, Dr. Hunita Dhanju (PT)2
1MPT in Neurological and Psychosomatic Disorder, 2Assistant Professor,
Pioneer Physiotherapy College, SGGU University, Vadodara, India.
Corresponding Author: Jhanvika Chauhan
ABSTRACT
Background: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common peripheral vestibular disorder and is frequently associated with residual dizziness following successful canalith repositioning. Vestibular rehabilitation may help alleviate persistent dizziness and functional disability. This study compared the effectiveness of tele-rehabilitation-based Brandt-Daroff and Cawthorne-Cooksey exercises in patients with posterior canal BPPV following successful Epley maneuver.
Methods: This experimental study included 48 patients with posterior canal BPPV who continued to experience dizziness or unsteadiness after successful Epley maneuver. Participants were randomly allocated to two groups (24 per group). Group A received Epley maneuver followed by tele-rehabilitation-based Brandt-Daroff exercises, whereas Group B received Epley maneuver followed by tele-rehabilitation-based Cawthorne-Cooksey exercises for 2 weeks. One exercise session per day was supervised remotely, while two additional sessions were performed independently using a prescribed home exercise program. Dizziness severity and dizziness-related disability were assessed before and after intervention using the Numeric Dizziness Rating Scale (NDRS) and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), respectively. Within-group changes were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and between-group differences were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test.
Results: Both groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in DHI and all NDRS measures following the 2-week intervention (p≤0.001). Between-group analysis showed no statistically significant differences in DHI (U=273, p=0.50), NDRS current (U=291.5, p=0.93), or NDRS best scores (U=208, p=0.66). A statistically significant between-group difference was observed for NDRS worst score (U=394.5, p=0.016).
Conclusion: Tele-rehabilitation-based Brandt-Daroff and Cawthorne-Cooksey exercises were associated with significant improvements in residual dizziness and dizziness-related disability following successful Epley maneuver in patients with posterior canal BPPV. The two interventions demonstrated comparable outcomes for most measures, although a significant between-group difference was observed for worst-rated dizziness.
Keywords: BPPV, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, Tele-rehabilitation, Brandt-Daroff, Cawthorne-Cooksey exercises.