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VEDA
Publication
No. S-7
What is balance?
Balance is the ability to maintain the
bodys center of mass over its base of
support.1 A properly functioning balance
system allows humans to see clearly
while moving, identify orientation with
respect to gravity, determine direction
and speed of movement, and make automatic postural adjustments to maintain
posture and stability in various
conditions and activities.
Balance is achieved and maintained by
a complex set of sensorimotor control
Sensory input
Maintaining balance depends on information received by the brain from three
peripheral sources: eyes, muscles and
joints, and vestibular organs (Figure 1).
All three of these sources send information to the brain in the form of nerve
impulses from special nerve endings
called sensory receptors.
Input from the eyes
http://www.vestibular.org/
Figure 1. Balance is achieved and maintained by a complex set of sensorimotor control systems.
http://www.vestibular.org/
Motor output
As sensory integration takes place, the
brain stem transmits impulses to the
muscles that control movements of the
eyes, head and neck, trunk, and legs, thus
allowing a person to both maintain balance
and have clear vision while moving.
Motor output to the muscles and joints
http://www.vestibular.org/
The coordinated
balance system
The human balance system involves a
complex set of sensorimotor-control
systems. Its interlacing feedback mechanisms can be disrupted by damage to one
or more components through injury,
disease, or the aging process. Impaired
balance can be accompanied by other
symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo,
vision problems, nausea, fatigue, and
concentration difficulties.
The complexity of the human balance
system creates challenges in diagnosing
and treating the underlying cause of
imbalance. Vestibular dysfunction as a
cause of imbalance offers a particularly
intricate challenge because of the vestibular
systems interaction with cognitive
functioning,2 and the degree of influence
it has on the control of eye movements
and posture.
References
1. Shumway-Cook A, Woollacott MH.
Motor Control: Theory and Practical
Applications. Philadelphia: Lippincott,
Williams & Wilkins; 2001.
2. Hanes DA, McCollum G. Journal of
Vestibular Research 2006;16(3):7591.
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