Vertigo Exercises – 6 Recommended Items

A spinning sensation, accompanied by headache and nausea, is often the most common symptom of vertigo. In this article, we will present a series of exercises to help you alleviate these ailments.

Exercises for vertigo - 6 recommended positions

According to the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, about 80% of people experience an episode of vertigo at some point in their lives, with a greater frequency in adults over 40 years of age. Therefore, in this article, we will explain how to perform the 6 recommended maneuvers that are effective exercises for vertigo.

Although there are different causes and types, the most common disorder is related to the inner ear problem and is called mild paroxysmal positional vertigo. It usually occurs after a change in posture or due to head movements.

In such situations, a series of tiny calcium crystals that are found in the inner ear and help to maintain balance are disturbed by getting into the semicircular canal of the ear. This way they create the impression that everything is spinning.

How do the exercises recommended for vertigo work?

Exercises recommended for vertigo allow displaced crystals to return to the area of the inner ear, where they do not cause symptoms. Before doing these, however, it is important to determine which ear is causing the discomfort.

This is best recognized by turning your head to the right and then to the left while looking at your shoulder. As you make this movement, pay attention to which direction you feel the most dizzy. For example, if they build up when you tilt your head to the left, that ear is most likely affected.

Ear problems are usually the cause of vertigo in the vast majority of patients.

Epley maneuver

The Epley maneuver consists of a series of head movements that are usually performed under the guidance of a doctor or physical therapist. This is done as follows:

When the patient is seated on the doctor’s table, the specialist turns his head 45 degrees towards the affected ear.
He immediately tilts the patient to lie down, keeping his head tilted and letting it hang over the edge of the table. It is likely that an attack of vertigo will occur at this time. So the patient will continue until the dizziness subsides.
Then the specialist turns the patient’s head 90 degrees towards the healthy ear, thus changing the arrangement of the crystals.

Home version of the maneuver

While this maneuver should be supervised by an expert, below we will describe a version that can be safely performed at home:

Sit upright on the bed with your legs stretched forward and supported on a mattress.

Place the pillow on the back so that you are lying down at shoulder height.
Turn your head 45 degrees towards the affected ear.
Lean back quickly with your arms on the pillow and wait 30 seconds.
Turn your head 90 degrees away from where you were and wait 30 seconds.
Return to the starting position by sitting up straight.

Semont’s maneuver

As with the Epley maneuver, the Semont maneuver should be performed under the supervision of a physician or physical therapist. It takes place as follows:

When the patient is seated on the table, the specialist turns his head 45 degrees away from the affected ear.
Turning the head, the specialist lays the patient on his side, towards the affected ear. He holds it in this position for 30 seconds.
The patient can then sit down in the starting position.

Foster’s maneuver

The Foster maneuver is one of the easiest to perform as it does not require bed rest or the help of another person. You just need to follow the steps below:

Kneel on a comfortable surface and place your hands on the floor, moving your head up and down until you feel the dizziness has subsided.
Then, rest your head on the ground, trying to touch your knees.
Keeping your head on the ground, turn your head 45 degrees towards the ear that causes the vertigo, and face your face towards your shoulder. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
With your head turned 45 degrees, raise it to the same level as your shoulders. Here you have to wait another 30 seconds while keeping your head on one side.
When the 30 seconds are up, look up.

For these vertigo exercises to work, they should be repeated three to five times with a 15-minute break between each exercise.

Brandt-Daroff Exercise

Brandt-Daroff vertigo exercises are also very easy to do at home. To do them, you need to sit on the bed and carry out the following steps:

Lie on your side with your head facing up, 45 degrees from the bed.
Stay in this position for 30 seconds or until the dizziness is gone.
Then come back to sitting position.
Lie on the opposite side and repeat the same procedure.

According to an article published in the Physiotherapeutic Review of the Catholic University of San Antonio in Murcia, Brandt-Daroff exercises are very effective as long as the patient performs 5 series, at least 3 times a day, for two consecutive weeks.

Other recommended exercises for vertigo

There are other exercises recommended for vertigo that can help control this disorder. It is important to always do them carefully. This will slowly avoid the possible falls and injuries resulting from fainting that sometimes accompany this syndrome.

Exercises for balance and body posture control

These exercises are designed to provide an appropriate motor response to certain sensory stimuli in order to improve your balance. Here are some of the easiest:

Go up and down the 10 steps with your eyes open several times. Then repeat the same exercise with your eyes closed.
Put your feet apart and, resting your ankles on the mat, move the weight back and forth without bending your hips, simulating the movement of a pendulum. Then repeat the exercise sideways several times. When you feel comfortable, repeat this with your eyes closed.
Tiptoe back and forth in a straight line. First do this with your eyes open and then repeat it with your eyes closed.
Stand on one leg and hold this position for approximately 30 seconds. Do this first with your eyes open and then closed. Repeat this 5 times for each leg.

Stand near a surface you can lean on and lift one foot to mimic the movements that outline the letters of the alphabet. Once you’ve done this with one leg, repeat the same with the other.

The annoying symptoms of vertigo can be lessened when we do the exercises we share with you in this article.

Exercise to improve reflexes and stabilize eyesight

This exercise is designed to improve visual interaction when making head movements and to achieve greater gaze stability. A board with letters is set up against the wall and you stand about 25 centimeters from it.

You immediately move your head slowly, horizontally from left to right, trying to keep your eyes on each letter. Do this for a minute, rest and repeat moving your head vertically.

Recommended exercises for dizziness should be consulted with your doctor

Although these exercises usually do not have major contraindications, it is imperative that you consult a specialist about the causes of vertigo before performing them. He or she can show you the most recommended vertigo exercises in your case. This is essential, especially if you have a neck or back injury.

It is also important to note that it is normal to feel dizzy when exercising. That is why it is worth doing them calmly, resting between sets and waiting a few minutes before getting up again.