Unterberger stepping test: a useful indicator of peripheral vestibular dysfunction?

Deviation of gait in a stepping test has been proposed as a useful indicator of peripheral labyrinthine dysfunction. A prospective study of 26 patients suspected of having uncompensated peripheral labyrinthine dysfunction and 49 normal patients with normal labyrinthine dysfunction showed no significant difference in performance of the Unterberger stepping test between patients with electronystagmographically significant canal paresis and those with normal vestibular function.