A few entries ago I discussed proprioception, kinesthesia and the vestibular system.  When these work well together, they help contribute to the ability to balance when moving.  We call this dynamic balancing.  As one walks, runs or engages in any movement,  balance is challenged and has to constantly readjust as the movement occurs.  You may notice this when descending stairs at slightly different heights and especially on an unstable surface such as a dock or boat.  Which brings us to an experience I had yesterday which very nicely illustrates the importance of dynamic balancing and all that is entailed.

Dynamic balancing is also required when sitting absolutely still but some external force is moving you, such as a bus. I was on a bus last night.  The island I am currently visiting has a fairly busy end,  in which taxis go to and fro.  The other side is less populated, has few restaurants and other diversions and requires a long journey over a mountain range.  The beaches on this side, of course are sparsely populated.  My husband and I have a rather large need for personal space, so off we went to the less  inhabited side of the island.  Cabs will take you there, but they do not roam the streets waiting for the off chance that someone might require their services for a return ride. 

Happily, there is a bus which crosses the mountain range and brings you back to the main town.  The best deal on the island; while the cab costs $20+ one way per person to traverse this distance, the Center line costs one dollar!  Aside from the sporadic nature of following a schedule,  it not only seemed  like a great deal,  at 6 PM it was the ONLY choice. 

The bus arrived just as the sky darkened, heard long in advance as it roared up the hill to meet us.  The vibration was keen  as we began our ascent.  Hairpin turns up and especially down required some physical adjustments to avoid toppling to the floor.  My husband clung to the bar in front of the seat with both hands.  After a few awkward shifts almost to the floor, I began to figure out how to work the curves to avoid an unseemly fall to the floor.

With each turn, I would lean in the opposite direction.  Initially I leaned the amount I was accustom to do in any vehicle, but the speed with which the driver took each hair raising turn required me to lean  much further than my body expected.  It really was an aerobic exercise. 

As I mentioned, my husband clung to the bar in front of him and required a beverage after the ride to calm down,  but I found, once  I had figured out how to avoid an embarrassing slide to the floor,  that I truly enjoyed the ride.  Aside from the three cell phone calls the driver answered as she careened down the mountain road,  the vibration and forward motion is one that helps to settle me.

Vibration is a form of stimulation which activates the proprioceptive sensors. 

Remember these?  They are located in the joints and as the vibration rattles through the body,  the proprioceptors send along the message to the brain which helps activate those nerve cells which help to alleviate excess and unnecessary stimuli in the brain.

Toy manufacturers figured this out.  That is why there are all those vibrating toys.  The vibration not only gets the child’s attention,  paradoxically, it also helps to calm the child.  In addition, recent experiments with vibrating boards and shoes for the elderly have found that certain protocols using these lead to improvements in balancing in  older folks.

When I worked in one school years ago,  one of the special education specialists saw me whip out a vibrator and had a few rather sarcastic comments to make regarding my “equipment.”  I assured her I was not about to proceed with some sketchy procedure.  Fortunately for me, by then she understood and had seen first hand how heavy work led to better organization in her ADHD students, so she was able to make the leap of faith and trust that the vibrator would do the same.

So the bus gave me the vibratory input which soothed my nerves as we veered into the oncoming traffic rounding a hairpin turn.  Yes, there was oncoming traffic.  Fortunately the cars stopped and backed a little down the hill to allow us to pass.  Just a momentary stand off there.  And then off we sped down the hill.

Rotation, I mentioned earlier, makes me quite dizzy.  But speeding fast movement like the bus ride;  I love this.  Like vibration,  speed or linear motion, stimulates a part of the vestibular system that is inhibitory rather than excitatory.  In essence,  while the rotation which the vestibular system detects wakes up and excites most of the neurological system, the linear movement stimulates another aspect of the vestibular system which activates those inhibitory nerves in the brain just as the vibration does.

Anyone watching the Olympic games right now and happen to see the mogul runs?  Just imagine the proprioceptive and vestibular input those competitors get .  Notice that certain  adults prefer those “edgier” sports.  Fast skiing, cycling, horse racing, speed skating, bob sled, luge ... fast driving.  Do you wonder why  some normally law abiding citizens have a propensity for speeding tickets?

Here’s some suggested activities which provide vibration:

Infant to preschool:  stroller rides, especially over bumpy surfaces

Toddler to early grade school:  wagon rides, trikes and training wheeled bikes

Preschool to adulthood:  Sledding, cycling on bumpy surfaces, go carts, subway and train rides

And:  They actually make vibrating pens.  I am familiar with “Squiggle Writers.”

In the kitchen your “sous chef”  can help with the hand mixer, coffee grinder, blender, electric pepper mill.

At the check out counter of many stores there are lots of inexpensive widgets such as wind up toys which vibrate. 

We’ll discuss some activities for the speed demons at a later date ...

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