Balance Stratergies..

Hi Physios,

Under balance rehabilitation, knowledge about balance stratergies & managing the patients with balance problems due to defect in their statergies is utmost essential.. As a Physical therapist, We should know how to assess & treat it.. If anyone knows it.. Please give your ideas on the same.

Thanks

hi jeba pt,
there are basically three strategies of balance.
they are
1. the ankle strategy.
2. the hip strategy.
3. the stepping strategy.
the ankle strategy is the one where the PFS and the DFS contract and try regaining balance hen you loose balance. Imagine yo are standing and someone is giving a slight pressure forwards such that you line of gravity falls anterior to the ankle joint causing a dorsiflixion moment. Since you are not supposed to fall, your plantar flexors contrac and try to maintain yor balance.
the hip strategy again tin teh same thing but you would be able to observe it better when the movement that you can do in space is restricted a for example when you travel in a crowded bus.
The stepping strategy is one in which you take a step forward or sidewards so as to prevent you from falling.
as far as treatment goes, for the ankle strategy and the hip strategy u can use the wobble board and for stepping strategy you can train the patient to take protective steps when you disturb his balance!! you an also use the hi fi balance masters which come with computer recordings to retrain balance!!
cheers,
murali.