Prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo among motocross racers: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) among motocross racers after cross-country up and downhill activities.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case-control study included 40 motocross racers (39 males, 1 female; mean age 26 years; range 21 to 43 years) and 40 healthy controls (30 males, 10 females; mean age 28 years; range 22 to 43 years) who had no hearing or balance problems. The Dix-Hallpike maneuver was applied to confirm the diagnosis of BPPV. Patients with BPPV were administered the Epley maneuver every week for one month and followed-up for treatment response assessment.

RESULTS: Motocross and control groups were similar in terms of demographic and laboratory parameters. While BPPV was detected in four motocross racers (10%) according to Dix-Hallpike maneuver outcome and clinical findings, there was no BPPV in the control group. Of the motocross racers with BPPV, three had unilateral, one had bilateral disease. Of these patients, Epley maneuver was applied two times in two patients and three times in the other two patients. There was no vertigo or nystagmus in any of the patients with BPPV in one month.

CONCLUSION: Intensive motocross activity is a cause of post-traumatic BPPV developing without head trauma. Large-scale, randomized controlled studies are needed to establish the post-traumatic etiology of BPPV in motocross racers.