Balance and Postural Control

Question 1

define balance

Answer 1

the ability to maintain the body in equilibrium. OR the ability to maintain the centre of mass within the limits base of support

Question 2

define centre of mass

Answer 2

a point that is at the centre of the total body mass

Question 3

define base of support

Answer 3

the area of the object that is in contact with the supporting surface

Question 4

why is balance important

Answer 4

• better control and accuracy of movements
• reuced risk of falling or injury
• helps with efficiency of movements and motor tasks
• ability to chnage directions

Question 5

what systems contribute to balance and posture

Answer 5

afferent and efferent systems

Question 6

how to afferent and efferent systems contribute to balance and posture

Answer 6

they contribute to awareness of where we are in space and provide feedback/ feedforward info related to our suppoundings

Question 7

what is afferent info

Answer 7

info detected and carried to central nervous system

Question 8

what is efferent info

Answer 8

motor info carried from the central nervous system to the muscles

Question 9

what types of receptors give afferent information

Answer 9

visual
vestibular
somatosensory
proprioceptors
muscle spindles
cutaneous receptors

Question 10

what are efferent reactions related to balance

Answer 10

equilibrium reactions
righting reactions
saving/ protective reactions

Question 11

what are anticipatory postural adjustments associated with

Answer 11

the activation or onhibition of trunk and leg muscles prior to the actual perturbation or balance

Question 12

what is the role of anticipatory postural adjustments

Answer 12

minimize the negative consequences of a predicted postural perturbation

Question 13

what do compensatory postural adjustments act as

Answer 13

a mechanism of resoration of the position of the centre of mass after a perturbation has already occured

Question 14

describe what equilibrium reactions are

Answer 14

• synonymous with postural adjustments occuring in daily life
• contant adaption of muscular acitivty through the body
• equilibrium reactions maintain the centre of mass over the base of support

Question 15

describe what righting reactions are

Answer 15

• balance reactions that are activated on displacement of the body’s centre of gravity outside of its base of support
• the relationship of the head, trunk and limbs with eachother in the environment
• maintenance of segmental alignment

Question 16

what are corrective strategies

Answer 16

• strategies your body makes to maintain balance
  e.g. ankle strategy/ hip strategy/ ankle strategy

Question 17

what are some limiting factors that can impat balance and posture

Answer 17

• impaired vision
• muscle tone/ shortened muscles/ contractures/ spascticity
• lack of joint range
• cerebellar impairment
• vestibular impairment
• sensory/ proprioceptive loss
• cognition

Question 18

what are contracture

Answer 18

stidd muscles which are difficult to chnage length

Question 19

how can physiotherapists impact potential limiting factors in relation to balance and posture

Answer 19

• facilitation/ reeducation
• exercise/ motor control tasks
• neurological adjuncts

Question 20

how to perform pelvis tilt in sitting

Answer 20

• put hands on iliac crest
• press in a guide patient so they sit more upright

Question 21

how to perform pevlic tilt at central key point

Answer 21

• stand side on from patient
• one hand flat on the sternum
• other hand inbetween scapulae
• push from the back to guide patient into an upright seated position

Question 22

how to perform pelvic tilt at ribs

Answer 22

• both hands at lower ribs
• guide patient up to an upright seated position so they are no longer slumperd over

Question 23

how to perform weight transfer in standing

Answer 23

• have plinth at one side of patient
• have hands on ribs or pelvis
• transfer weight of patient from one leg to another my guiding them side to side