Knowra Balance (ability) Balance (ability) Balance is the ability to maintain or recover the body’s position against forces that would displace it. It depends on integrating sensory information with coordinated muscle responses.
Vestibular system : The inner-ear system that detects head rotation, linear acceleration, and orientation relative to gravity. It supplies rapid information about head motion and orientation for postural correction.
Center of mass : The point representing the weighted average position of an object's mass. Its position relative to the base of support helps determine whether the body remains stable.
Romberg test : A clinical test of postural stability performed while standing with the feet together and eyes open, then closed. Removing visual input can reveal instability that vision had been compensating for.
Equilibrium : A state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced, producing no net change. Mechanical equilibrium describes forces, while bodily balance also depends on active sensing and control.
Proprioception : The sense of body position and movement, arising from receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints. It signals limb and trunk positions without relying on vision.
Base of support : The area beneath an object or person bounded by the points of contact with a supporting surface. Widening this area generally gives the body more room to resist displacement.
Berg Balance Scale : A clinical assessment consisting of 14 tasks that score functional balance in older adults and other populations. It measures balance through tasks such as standing, reaching, and turning.
Coordination : The organized timing and sequencing of movements across body parts. Coordination can be impaired independently of the ability to maintain posture.
Visual system : The sensory system that detects light and provides information about the external environment. Visual references help estimate body motion and maintain upright posture.
Gravity : The attractive interaction between masses, which gives objects weight near Earth's surface. Its force continually challenges upright posture and shapes corrective responses.
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