The Boite Technique in non-instrumental vestibular rehabilitation
A technique that we consider important for this scope is the BOITE TECHNIQUE, which rehabilitates both the vestibular and the proprioceptive components.
In the STATIC BOITE technique patients stand still next to a wall, a few inches from it without touching, initially for 10 seconds with eyes open, then for a further 20 with eyes closed. This procedure is then repeated by facing the wall, then with the wall on the right, then to the left, and finally with the wall behind.
After this, the patient must:
- Remain in balance with one foot in front of the other
- Remain in balance on tiptoes
- Then on the heels
- Then on the right foot
- Finally remain in balance on the left foot
Other variants to this exercise are:
- Repetition with eyes closed
- In lateral and / or anteroposterior oscillation
- Execution at increasing speed
In the DYNAMIC BOITE technique patients must remain still next to the wall in an upright position at a few inches distance without touching it, and march in place with arms outstretched first for 10 seconds with eyes open, then for a further 20 with eyes closed. The exercise must be carried out in sequence with the wall in front, to the right, to the left and behind.
There are variants to the exercise which foresee:
Standing up repeatedly from sitting by performing the exercise with the head in different positions:
- In forward flexion
- In hyperextension
- Tilted to the right
- Tilted to the left
- Rotated to the right
- Rotated to the left
There are other variants which we do not apply here at Vestibology Medical.
The POINT DE MIRE technique consists in turning the head to the right and to the left without taking the gaze off a focal point about 3 m. away. The patient fixes the gaze on a point while performing head movements in flexion-extension (upper and posterior semicircular canal), in right and left rotation (horizontal semicircular canal) and lateral incline-rotation (anterior semicircular canal of one side and contralateral for the posterior), with an increasing speed of about 20 times for each position.
Non-instrumental techniques performed at Vestibology Medical include rehabilitation on a TREADMILL WITH FOCUS LIGHT. In this exercise, patients walk on the treadmill and rotate the head while looking at a fixed point.
