August 16, 2011
This past week I attended an 87-year-old female with a history of severe balance and walking problems, as well as a history of falls. She was unable to stand or walk without the aid of a walker and felt unsteady on her feet. This past year she has fallen twelve times...
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Showing posts with label balance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label balance. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Friday, October 1, 2010
Balance Development in Children is Learned
Developing balance and coordination begins early in life. We learn to hold our heads up, crawl and then eventually walk, often precariously at first. We fall a lot initially and then progress towards running, playing, jumping, swinging and other activities that help our brains to develop balance. This is why we adults have fond childhood memories of walking across logs or balance beams, spinning, swinging and balance activities that help to stimulate our vestibular system (balance centers of the brain).
I can’t stress enough how important it is for children to stimulate their brain’s balance centers on a regular basis. Having a good brain is more than academic performance. Developing a good balance center reduces the likelihood of developing vestibular problems later in life including balance problems, learning disabilities, vertigo, dizziness, lack of coordination and injuries.
Children’s brains are nurtured by physical movement; this is why gentle rocking is calming to infants. A child’s vestibular system is properly formed by the feedback it receives from running, swinging, jumping, muscle contraction, etc.
Children should not be sedentary, staring at an LCD screen for hours at a time. If TV and video game activities are performed more than standard physical activities it can reduce the normal vestibular development needed to maneuver in Earth’s gravitational field throughout life.
The brain and vestibular system receive input from changes in muscle tone, movements of the body, head and eyes. Serious developmental and coordinative problems can develop if these centers are not regularly activated. It’s important for children to develop proprioception -- the sense that indicates whether the body is moving with required effort, as well as where the various parts of the body are located in relation to each other. Often called the “sixth sense” proprioception is vital to good balance.
Modalities such as Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, Yoga, and other body-centered therapies can help to improve proprioception and balance. Nothing, however, can solely replace good old fashioned movement and physical activity. Balance and prevention of balance related problems, along with coordination are learned activities developed by our interaction with our environment.
I can’t stress enough how important it is for children to stimulate their brain’s balance centers on a regular basis. Having a good brain is more than academic performance. Developing a good balance center reduces the likelihood of developing vestibular problems later in life including balance problems, learning disabilities, vertigo, dizziness, lack of coordination and injuries.
Children’s brains are nurtured by physical movement; this is why gentle rocking is calming to infants. A child’s vestibular system is properly formed by the feedback it receives from running, swinging, jumping, muscle contraction, etc.
Children should not be sedentary, staring at an LCD screen for hours at a time. If TV and video game activities are performed more than standard physical activities it can reduce the normal vestibular development needed to maneuver in Earth’s gravitational field throughout life.
The brain and vestibular system receive input from changes in muscle tone, movements of the body, head and eyes. Serious developmental and coordinative problems can develop if these centers are not regularly activated. It’s important for children to develop proprioception -- the sense that indicates whether the body is moving with required effort, as well as where the various parts of the body are located in relation to each other. Often called the “sixth sense” proprioception is vital to good balance.
Modalities such as Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, Yoga, and other body-centered therapies can help to improve proprioception and balance. Nothing, however, can solely replace good old fashioned movement and physical activity. Balance and prevention of balance related problems, along with coordination are learned activities developed by our interaction with our environment.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
A simple procedure for Dizziness/Vertigo
About 20% of all dizziness and 50% of all dizziness in older people is due to Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). The symptoms of BPPV include dizziness or vertigo (spinning), imbalance, nausea, or lightheadedness with movement of the head. Many patients will tell me that they simply rolled over in bed or leaned their heads back and began to experience dizziness. The symptoms can last for a long time or they can come and go in short durations. The most common cause is head trauma, but much of the time there is no known cause.
In BPPV, the dizziness is thought to be due to the collection of debris or calcium carbonate crystals which form a plug in the inner ear canals. The calcium plugs don’t allow for the normal movement of fluid in the inner ear and the result is the sensation of spinning. This can be terrifying to someone to say the least. Imagine spinning around several times and having that feeling 24 hours a day!
The solution for this particular type of vertigo can be very simple and effective. Basically a practitioner places an infrared camera over the patients’ eyes and leans them back with their head off the table. If the person has true BPPV, the eyes will jump back and forth (nystagmus). This test is called the Dix Hallpike test. The procedure to move the calcium out of the canal is called the Epely Maneuver and can be performed right then in the office. Basically, the practitioner brings the patient backwards with their head back and observes their eyes with the camera. The patient is then rolled to one side slowly while the practitioner watches the eyes. When the nystagmus is reduced, they are rolled further, finally to a seated position. The patient then has to be careful to not lean their head back farther than 45 degrees for about 48 hours. This is usually a small price to pay for the benefits of the canal repositioning. Research has shown that the Epley Maneuver/Canal Repositioning is effective in about 80% of people with BPPV (Herdman et al, 1993). Please check out this website that does a great job of explaining the cause and treatments for BPPV: http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/disorders/bppv/bppv.html
Also, the Vestibular Disorders Association has a list of practitioners around the country who perform canal repositioning maneuvers and is a great resource for those suffering from dizziness/vertigo. www.vestibular.org.
~ Dr. Reynolds
In BPPV, the dizziness is thought to be due to the collection of debris or calcium carbonate crystals which form a plug in the inner ear canals. The calcium plugs don’t allow for the normal movement of fluid in the inner ear and the result is the sensation of spinning. This can be terrifying to someone to say the least. Imagine spinning around several times and having that feeling 24 hours a day!
The solution for this particular type of vertigo can be very simple and effective. Basically a practitioner places an infrared camera over the patients’ eyes and leans them back with their head off the table. If the person has true BPPV, the eyes will jump back and forth (nystagmus). This test is called the Dix Hallpike test. The procedure to move the calcium out of the canal is called the Epely Maneuver and can be performed right then in the office. Basically, the practitioner brings the patient backwards with their head back and observes their eyes with the camera. The patient is then rolled to one side slowly while the practitioner watches the eyes. When the nystagmus is reduced, they are rolled further, finally to a seated position. The patient then has to be careful to not lean their head back farther than 45 degrees for about 48 hours. This is usually a small price to pay for the benefits of the canal repositioning. Research has shown that the Epley Maneuver/Canal Repositioning is effective in about 80% of people with BPPV (Herdman et al, 1993). Please check out this website that does a great job of explaining the cause and treatments for BPPV: http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/disorders/bppv/bppv.html
Also, the Vestibular Disorders Association has a list of practitioners around the country who perform canal repositioning maneuvers and is a great resource for those suffering from dizziness/vertigo. www.vestibular.org.
~ Dr. Reynolds
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