Is it important to restrict head movement after Epley maneuver?

The effectiveness of postmaneuver postural restrictions is controversial in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. AIM: To verify the role of postural restrictions in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal, submitted to a single Epley maneuver. STUDY DESIGN: clinical prospective. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Fifty eight patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal were randomly divided in two groups following the application of a unique Epley maneuver. The patients from group 1 were informed to restrict their head movements and to use a cervical collar and group 2 patients were not informed about these postmaneuver restrictions. The patients from both groups were reevaluated one week after Epley maneuver, regarding the presence of symptoms and positional nystagmus. RESULTS: One week after Epley maneuver 82.1% of the patients from group 1 and 73.3% from group 2 didn't present positional nystagmus (p = 0.421). There was a clinical improvement in 96.0% of the patients from group 1 and in 94.0% from group 2 (p = 0.781). CONCLUSION: The use of postural restrictions in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal didn't interfere in their clinical evaluation, one week after a unique Epley maneuver.