A hundred fifteen patients (53 men and 62 women), aged 62.7 years ± 16 (standard deviation, SD), were studied. They represent a convenience sample of patients with balance disorders, recruited with a consecutive sampling method. Patient diagnosis was as follows: 22 hemiparesis (12 right, 10 left), 21 Parkinson’s disease, 15 neuromuscular diseases, 14 hereditary ataxia, 11 multiple sclerosis, 10 unspecific age-related balance disorders, 7 peripheral vestibular disorders, 6 traumatic brain injury, 4 diffuse encephalopathy, 3 cervical myelopathy and 2 CNS neoplasm. All subjects were inpatients referred to the Scientific Institute of Veruno for rehabilitation assessment and treatment. Inclusion criteria were: able to walk with or without a cane; absence of severe cognitive or communication impairments; ability to tolerate the balance tasks without fatigue. Prior to taking part in the study, all participants signed the informed consent that had been approved by the Central Ethics Committee of the ‘Salvatore Maugeri’ Foundation.