Balance Evaluation Systems are very important with vestibular rehabilitation.
Balance is the ability to maintain the body’s center of mass over its supporting base (Shumway-Cook & Woollacott, 2007). Regulation of many innate sensory systems, like visual from the eyes and somatosensory from skin, joints and muscle receptors, do ensure stability. Ideally, this is achieved by modifying the relationship between the Centre of Mass (COM) and Centre of Pressure (COP) (Shumway-Cook & Woollacott, 2007).
Certain traditional assessment methodologies for human balance involve analogue sway plot charts (Sakaguchi, Taguchi, Ishiyama, Netsu, & Sato, 1995).
Current technologies permit a superior flexibility and data accuracy, by incorporating force plate and accelerometers for balance testing (Yim-Chiplis & Talbot, 2000). Computerised balance testing has valuable therapeutic and diagnostic purposes in the clinical setting (Leitner et al., 2009; Visser, Carpenter, van der Kooij, & Bloem, 2008).
A literature review provided by Ruhe and co-workers, concluded that computerised balance testing of COP is a reliable and accurate method for balance measurement (Ruhe, Fejer, & Walker, 2010). In fact, evaluation of the elderly (Alrwaily & Whitney, 2011; Young, Ferguson, Brault, & Craig, 2011), dizzy patients (Mcloughlin, Barr, Sturnieks, Lord, & Crotty, 2013), other neurological conditions like Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease (Findling et al., 2011; Wolters, 2009) and normal subjects (Donath, Roth, Zahner, & Faude, 2012; Lin, Seol, Nussbaum, & Madigan, 2008) is commonly applied.
At Brainstorm we have access to advanced balance testing equipment. Computerised balance testing enables our therapist access to the patients current balance under experimental controlled conditions. For more information http://brainstormrehab.com.au/blog/posturography/
