Design and Development of Stability Limits and Postural Stability Protocols for a Computerized Dynamic Posturography

Upright balance control is an important human skill which can be impaired by aging and different disorders. Therefore, clinical and laboratory measures of balance assessment were established. The latest technology in the laboratory methods is a stabilemeter with a computer or computerized dynamic posturography which assesses static and dynamic balance using body sways. A computerized dynamic posturography system consists of a computer and a stabilemeter which is an unstable platform under patient's feet and calculates center of pressure on the platform to display it immediately on the screen. For these purposes, two protocols of "Limits of stability" (LOS) and "Postural stability" (PS) were designed and developed in the present study for a prefabricated stabile meter with a max. of 20 degrees deviation from horizontal in all directions to achieve the mentioned purposes. The protocols calculate and display the person's functional characteristics that can be saved to the computer of computerized dynamic posturography to demonstrate a diagram of the patient's functional progression. In addition to the balance assessment, the device improves balance and neuromuscular strength, and is useful in medicine, laboratory researches, physiotherapy and bodybuilding.