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OBJECTIVES
After completion of this chapter, the physical therapist should be able to do the following:
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Although maintaining balance while standing may appear to be a simple motor skill, this feat cannot be taken for granted as it is a complex process involving multiple systems and inputs. Muscular weakness, proprioceptive deficits, and range of motion (ROM) deficits may challenge a person’s ability to maintain his or her center of gravity (COG) within the body’s base of support, or, in other words, cause him or her to lose balance. Balance is the single most important element dictating movement strategies within the closed kinetic chain. Acquisition of effective strategies for maintaining balance is essential for athletic performance.
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Although balance is often thought of as a static process, it is actually a highly integrative dynamic process involving multiple central and peripheral neurologic pathways. Although balance is the more commonly used term, postural equilibrium is a broader term that involves the alignment of joint segments in an effort to maintain the COG within an optimal range of the maximum limits of stability (LOS).
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Despite often being classified at the end of the continuum of goals associated with therapeutic exercise,1 maintenance of balance is a vital component in the rehabilitation of brain and joint injuries that should not be overlooked. Traditionally, orthopedic rehabilitation has placed the emphasis on isolated joint mechanics, such as improving ROM and flexibility, and increasing muscle strength and endurance, rather than on afferent information obtained by the joint(s) to be processed by the postural control system. Additionally, rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury/concussions has only recently been at the forefront of management options.2
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Research in the area of proprioception and kinesthesia has emphasized the need to train the joint’s neural system.3–7 Joint position sense, proprioception, and kinesthesia are vital to all athletic performance requiring balance. Current rehabilitation protocols should therefore focus on a combination of open and closed kinetic chain exercises. The necessity for a combination of open and closed kinetic chain exercises can be seen during gait (walking or running), as the foot and ankle prepare for heel strike (open chain) and prepare to control the body’s COG during midstance and toe off (closed chain). Concerning concussion, recent evidence suggests that balance training and vestibular-specific training in individuals with these ...