Whether for childhood developmental delays, strokes or Parkinson’s disease, disorders of the central nervous system are usually treated with physiotherapy approaches.
Treating movement disorders effectively with physiotherapy
If movement disorders, paralysis or spasticity occur, physiotherapy can be used even in infancy. While the Bobath concept motivates patients to move independently, Vojta therapy uses targeted pressure on muscle/bone areas to activate spontaneous movement patterns and motor responses, such as eye movement, swallowing or breathing.
“Physiotherapeutic therapies according to Bobath and Vojta are internationally recognized and are reimbursed by health insurance companies in Germany,” knows Ute Repschläger, physiotherapist and chairwoman of the German Association of Independent Physiotherapists IFK e. V. “The doctor prescribes KG CNS, which includes both methods, so that the therapist can decide on an individually appropriate treatment.”
Brain stores movement sequences
In central movement disorders, perception as well as motor processes are disturbed and often limited by abnormal or unilateral movement patterns. Therefore, the brain must be given the opportunity to store physiological movement sequences and body posture patterns so that they can then be used in everyday life.
This basic idea is found in both the Bobath and Vojta concepts. “The central nervous system is given the opportunity to store movement patterns and use them motorically,” explains Ute Repschläger.
Vojta therapy: movement patterns through stimuli.
As a basic therapy, Vojta – named after the Czech physician Dr. Václav Vojta – can be used for movement disorders, muscular or respiratory diseases, regardless of the patient’s age. Targeted pressure on so-called stimulus zones triggers reactions in the entire organism. The body responds with innate movement patterns. In this way, the muscle activities necessary to stabilize posture and control the limbs are intensively trained.
“There is a special reflex training according to Vojta that is specifically tailored to children,” says Ute Repschläger. “Here it is important to trigger the reflex turning and reflex crawling movement patterns several times a day.” Vojta therapy is particularly helpful when children have low motor activity or muscle weaknesses, such as respiratory function.
Bobath therapy: practicing everyday activities.
Bobath therapy is named after the husband-and-wife team of Bertha and Karel Bobath and is used especially for disorders of the central nervous system, such as in adults after a stroke or in children with disabilities caused by oxygen deprivation at birth. The therapist’s goal is to improve the patient’s activities to cope with everyday life.
Targeted treatment techniques and motivation are used, for example, to build up movement sequences and transitions, practice balance reactions and improve body awareness. Physiotherapy is based on age- or developmentally appropriate movement patterns and uses everyday activities in real-life situations. For example, a stroke patient is encouraged to use the paralyzed side for everyday tasks such as eating or washing.
“The aim of the therapy is to use special techniques to increase the patient’s independence and quality of life,” says Ute Repschläger. According to Bobath, children are playfully motivated to correct disturbances in sensory function and balance. Movement stimuli and experiences stimulate motor learning. Children with movement, coordination and perception disorders are thus helped to achieve optimal development.
