Balance Evaluation Systems are critical in vestibular rehabilitation.
Balance maintains the body’s centre 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, ensures 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 superior flexibility and data accuracy by incorporating force plates 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). 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 patient's current balance under experimentally controlled conditions. For more information, jump onto balance therapy.
