Occupational Therapy -> Balance

Balance

Occupational therapists address balance as it relates to an individual’s daily occupations. Balance is required for several important daily tasks, for example, stepping into and out of the shower, reaching for a toy or dish, kicking a ball while playing a game, maintaining a safe seated position at a desk or table, climbing up the steps of the playground at recess, and many more.

Minor focus areas

Skilled interventions

  • Balance Activities

    Balance Activities in occupational therapy involve a series of graded exercises tailored to the individual's ability level and specific needs. These exercises might include static poses that challenge the individual to maintain a position with or without support, dynamic activities that require maintaining balance while moving, and sensory integration tasks that involve responding to various proprioceptive inputs.

    Therapists use a variety of equipment, such as balance beams, wobble boards, and therapy balls, to create varying levels of challenge. The activities are often integrated with daily tasks to ensure they are meaningful and directly beneficial to the individual’s lifestyle, such as standing on one foot while reaching for objects or walking along a marked line.

    Progress is monitored through both subjective feedback from the patient and objective measures such as time of stance or completion of task paths. The aim is to gradually increase the complexity and reduce the level of support, thereby enhancing the patient’s confidence and independence in performing daily activities safely.

  • Balance Beam Activities

    Balance Beam Activities are structured to progressively challenge and develop an individual's balance and motor control. The therapy begins with basic tasks, such as walking across a wide, flat beam with handrails or assistance, gradually progressing to narrower beams and incorporating additional tasks such as carrying objects, navigating obstacles, or performing dynamic movements like turns and stops.

    These activities are beneficial for a wide range of patients, including children with developmental disorders, athletes, and elderly individuals at risk of falls. The balance beam can be adjusted in height and width to suit different skill levels and ensure safety, allowing therapists to tailor the difficulty to the patient's abilities and progress.

    Therapeutic goals often include not only improving physical balance and coordination but also building confidence in movement and daily activities. Sessions may be documented and analyzed to track progress and adjust the difficulty level as needed.

  • Balance Disc

    Balance Discs are effective in improving balance, coordination, and motor control, making them beneficial for patients across various age groups and rehabilitation needs, including those recovering from injuries, athletes, and elderly patients at risk of falls. The disc's unstable surface forces the user to continuously adjust their body position, which activates core muscles and enhances proprioceptive feedback.

    Therapeutic sessions typically start with simple activities such as standing on the disc with both feet, progressing to more complex tasks like performing squats, lunges, or even throwing and catching a ball while maintaining balance on the disc. For patients with advanced needs, therapists might incorporate dual-tasking exercises where cognitive tasks are performed simultaneously with physical balance challenges.

    The intervention is carefully monitored and adjusted based on the patient's progress and specific rehabilitation goals. Safety measures, such as having support structures nearby and supervision by a therapist, are always prioritized to prevent falls and ensure a productive therapy session.

Reference links

  • PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THROUGH SCHOOLS: POLICY BRIEF 1
    www.who.int
    Author: World Health Organization - Physical activity is good for hearts, bodies and minds. Regular physical activity can improve physical fitness; improve heart, vascular and metabolic health, and bone health; and reduce adiposity in children and adolescents (1). Being active can also improve cognitive function, including academic performance and mental health, and can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety (1). In contrast, too much sedentary behavior can be unhealthy; it increases the risk of obesity and poorer fitness and cardiometabolic health and can affect sleep duration
  • Scope of Practice Q&A: Gait Assessment For Falls Risk 4
    www.aota.org
    Author: American Occupational Therapy Association - Is gait assessment/training and the use of these tools within the occupational therapy scope of practice?

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