REVIEW article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Neuro-Otology
Critical Evaluation of the benefits and limitations of foam posturography in vestibular disorders: a narrative review
Mitesh Patel 1
Carl Walter 2
Per-Anders Fransson 2
1. Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
2. Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Abstract
This review synthesises current evidence on the clinical utility of foam-based posturography in the assessment of vestibular pathologies. It critically evaluates: (1) the physiological mechanisms underlying foam posturography and its capacity to determine vestibular contributions; (2) methodological variability across testing protocols, including differences in foam properties, stance conditions and measurement parameters; (3) the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and reliability of foam posturography in various vestibular disorders; (4) its performance relative to other balance and vestibular assessments to determine reciprocity; and (5) its applications in rehabilitation. The review also highlights current gaps and challenges, proposing future directions aimed at standardising foam posturography protocols and strengthening their integration into routine clinical practice as part of comprehensive vestibular assessment. Foam posturography is a robust, reliable, and cost-effective method that alters the reliability and quality of somatosensory input to evaluate the role of vestibular function. It provides objective measures to support the diagnosis of vestibulopathies and distinguish between pathologies and monitor the results of rehabilitation. Limitations include non-standardised methodology and availability of normative data. However, its affordability and portability make it a practical and valuable adjunct in both clinical and research settings.
Summary
Keywords
applications, clinical utility, Diagnostic sensitivity, foam, Methodological variability, performance, posturography
Received
19 December 2025
Accepted
13 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Patel, Walter and Fransson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Per-Anders Fransson
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.