Balance Assessment

Electronystagmography/Videonystagmography

Rotary Chair Test

Posturography

Electronystagmogrphy/Videonystagmography

Electronystagmography (ENG) test is used for evaluation of balance problems. The information obtained from the ENG may help in determining how your inner ear balance system is working. The ENG takes about 90 minutes to perform.

For the test, you will be asked to wear goggles that will monitor your eye movement throughout the test. 

• Ocular motor:  for this portion, the patient will be asked to watch a moving target on a light bar.
• Positionals:  this portion involves the patient moving into different positions.
• Calorics:  during this portion of the test, the patient will have cool and warm air directed into their ears.

Rotary Chair Test 

Rotary Chair test is used to evaluate dizziness/balance problems. The information obtained from the Rotary Chair test may help in determining how your inner ear balance system is working.

It consists of measuring your eye movement while you are sitting in a slowly rotating chair in a darkened booth.

A speaker system allows communication with the audiologist, who isoutside of the booth.   

Posturography

Posturography is a test of balance that assesses the ability to maintain upright posture (standing up right) and proper gait or manner of walking. Posturography testing provides important information about the ability to effectively maintain balance in the variety of conditions encountered in everyday life.

Three separate functions contribute to our sense of balance: somatosensory, vision, and vestibular. 

Somatosensory function refers to our ability to stand quietly and maintain balance on a flat, unmoving surface.

We rely on our visual system to help maintain balance when a standing surface is uneven or unreliable. The internal reference for balance is our vestibular system.

We rely on our vestibular system to maintain balance when a surface is uneven or unreliable (somatosensory) and our vision is unreliable due to darkness or other factors.

Posturography assesses each of these systems in order to determine which may be contributing to a sense of imbalance.

Posturography testing takes approximately 30 minutes. Itis a non-invasive and relatively easy test to perform. Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes and socks. Women should wear pants, and refrain from wearing dresses or skirts.

All participants will need to wear a safety harness during testing, which protects the patient if they lose their balance.