Table 1 Description of Outcome Measures Collected at Baseline and Post

Functional Outcomes

Description

Psychometric Properties

Comments

Functional Gait Assessment (FGA)

Evaluates individuals on their ability to perform various motor tasks such as: walking with eyes closed, walking backwards, climbing stairs. There are 10 items, each is scored by a therapist on a scale of 0 (severe impairment) to 3 (normal).

Intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.86 and 0.74 were found for interrater and intra-rater reliability of the total FGA scores in vestibular disorders [36].

Internal consistency was 0.79 (no confidence intervals provided for either).

The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) on the FGA is considered 4 points [19, 20].

A score lesser or equal to 22 / 30 indicates increased fall risk in community dwelling older adults [21].

An experienced vestibular physical therapist administered the FGA in this study.

Timed-Up and Go (TUG)

Patients are asked to rise up from a chair, walk at their comfortable speed 10 feet, turn around a cone, walk back and sit down.

The faster performance out of two trials was recorded.

A score slower than 11.1 s in people with vestibular disorders [22] or slower than 13.5 s in community dwelling adults indicates increased fall risk [23].

An MCID of 3.4 s was established for patients post back surgery [24].

The TUG was administered by a research team member (physical therapist or physical therapy student).

The Four-Square Step Test (FSST)

A multidirectional stepping test of dynamic balance and coordination. Participants are asked to step over 4 canes on the floor in a clockwise and then counterclockwise direction while being timed.

Patients did one practice trial and then we recorded the faster performance out of two trials.

A score > 15 s indicates increased fall risk in community dwelling adults over the age of 65 [25].

Whitney et al. identified a cut off score of 12 s for patients with vestibular disorders [26].

The FSST was administered by a research team member (physical therapist or physical therapy student).

Self-reported Outcomes

Visual Vertigo Analog Scale (VVAS)

The participants mark the intensity of their dizziness on a scale of 0 to 10 cm in 9 situations of visual motions that typically provoke dizziness [27]. The score is calculated by measuring each item in centimeters, averaging the scores and multiplying by 10.

Symptom severity can be classified as none (0), mild (0.1 to 40), moderate (40–70) or severe (above 70) [28, 29].

Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC)

A subjective measure of confidence in performing activities without falling. Each item is scored from 0% (no confidence in one’s balance) to 100% (full confidence in one’s balance) [30].

A score of less than 67% indicates increased fall risk in community dwelling adults [31].

A minimal detectable change was identified as 13% in patients with Parkinson’s disease [32] and 14% in patients post stroke [33].

The Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI)

The DHI has 25 items involving the functional, emotional, and physical domains. Each item is scored as ‘no’, ‘sometimes’ or ‘yes’ to evaluate self-perceived disability imposed by dizziness [30, 34].

The DHI is classified as mild (under 30), moderate (31–60) or severe (61–100) disability due to dizziness [22].

The MCID for the DHI is considered to be 18 points [34].