Proprioception, Vestibular & Coordination
Proprioception, Vestibular & Coordination
Proprioception, Vestibular & Coordination
Vestibular nuclei in the brainstem receive all of the information about balance and
equilibrium from the inner ear, eye cranial nerve nuclei and cerebellum.
Information is sent through the spinal cord through vestibulospinal tracts.
Motor neurons synapse in the ventral horn and send message to spinal nerves in the
peripheral nervous system.
Information is sent to the muscles to maintain body’s upright position against gravity
(often extensors)
Proprioceptive information is sent back to the cerebellum to make ongoing decisions
regarding improvement of balance while information is also being sent directly to head &
eyes to mediate head position/head righting.
Activity
Nystagmus
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Hearing Loss
Loss of balance and falls
Wide-based stance
Nystagmus
1. Resting Tremors
2. Rigidity
3. Akinesia
4. Bradykinesia
5. Cunctation-festinating gait
6. Chorea
7. Athetosis
8. Hemiballismus
9. Dystonia
10. Tics
Tremors & Rigidity Screening
Chorea- observe for sudden rapid, involuntary jerky movements that primarily involve face and
extremities. Look for shoulder shrugs, hip movement, crossing/uncrossing of arms or legs,
tongue protrusions.
Athetosis- observe for slow flailing, twisting movements. Often involves neck, face, trunk,
extremities.
Hemiballismus- observe for violent thrashing movements. (one side)
Dystonia- observe for increased muscle tone causing twisted postures of trunk and extremities.
Torsion spasms can last for seconds->hours.
Torticollis
Tics- observe for repetitive, brief, rapid involuntary movements involving single muscles or
multiple muscle groups. Eye blinks, head jerks, shoulder shrugs or sounds.
Hemiballismus
Athetosis
Chorea
Dystonia
References