Lec 49 - Postural stability Flashcards
define postural stability
the maintenance of equilibrium through the interaction between the person, task and environment by keeping the centre of mass over the base of support
what are the 5 functions required of postural stability (“keep us”)
keeps us
1. steady at rest
2. steady while moving
3. adjusts in anticipation of moving
4. adjusts to changing conditions
5. adjusts to steady in response to a sudden unexpected disturbance/pertubation
what is the base of support?
the area beneath a person that
includes every point of contact
that the person makes with the
supporting surface.
when do we start to lose our balance?
when the center of mass (COM) goes outside of our base of support
what is postural sway
the natural movement of the COM within our BOS. we expect to see some movement as even things such as breathing can change the location of the COM which requires us to make compensatory movements.
T or F: postural stability involves only certain areas of the bran
False, Postural stability is a whole-brain
phenomenon
what structures of the brain have key roles in postural stability?
- Cerebellar grey matter
- Superior cerebellar peduncle
- Basal ganglia
- Thalamus
- Hippocampus
- Inferior parietal cortex
what are the 3 main control systems involved in postural stability and how do they interact?
Brain
motor
somatosensory
what 3 sensory systems have a role in stability
vision
proprioception
vestibular
what 3 cognitive functions have a role in postural stability
- memory
- executive function
- attention
list the 9 major components required for the maintenance of postural stability
- Sensory strategies
- Cognitive processing
- Motor system
- Static stability
- Dynamic stability
- Functional Stability Limits
- Reactive Postural Control
- Anticipatory Postural Control
- Verticality/Orientation in space
T or F: if just one of the 9 major components for the maintenance of postural stability isn’t working it can lead to instability
true
define sensory strategies
Ability to reweight sensory information (vision, vestibular, somatosensory) when input is altered (ex. eyes closed or foam pad)
define cognitive influence and what cognitive process does it require?
Ability to maintain stability while responding to commands during a task or attend to
additional tasks (e.g., dual task)
requires attention
what is the sensory system contributing to postural stability when a client has their eyes closed and is standing on a foam pad
vestibular
define motor system
Includes features related to strength, coordination, endurance and range of motion
what are the peripheral and central factors of the motor system?
- Muscle properties
- Force production
- Timing
- Sequencing
- Coordination
define static stability and some common orientations
Ability to maintain positions of the CoM in unsupported stance when BOS does not change
sitting, standing, wide stance, tandem
define dynamic stability
Ability to exert ongoing control of CoM when the BOS is changing ex. walking
T or F: walking is an inherently unstable activity
true
define functional stability limits
Ability to move the CoM as far as possible
in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions within an unchanging BOS
define reactive postural control
Ability to recover stability after an external perturbation to bring the CoM within the BOS through corrective movements
what are the 2 fixed support strategies and 2 change-in-support strategies seen in reactive postural control?
**hip is used for larger perturbations than ankle
define anticipatory postural control
Ability to shift the CoM before a discrete voluntary movement (ex. standing on one leg)
define verticality
Ability to orient appropriately with respect to gravity
what is the name of a condition where damage to the parietal lobe causes a patient to misalign themselves vertically
pusher syndrome
what are 3 key questions to ask during a subjective assessment of postural stability?
- Do you feel unsteady when walking or standing?
- Are you worried about falling?
- Have you fallen in the past year?
If yes, then ask “How many times?” and “Were you injured?”