Hayley and David with the Equilibri Balance Ball. Photo supplied
Two students from the University of Canberra have invented a new device that promises to help elderly people prone to falls keep their balance.
Hayley Teasdale (Physiotherapy) and David Hinwood (Robotics Engineering) have developed the Equilibri Balance Ball to retrain proprioception — the sense of where a person’s body is in space.
“We wanted a solution to prevent falls that would be effective, but also accessible and affordable for all,” Ms Teasdale said.
“As you get older, you rely more on sight, rather than on proprioception to keep your balance,” she said.
“This makes it easier for falls to occur in low light conditions, or as eyesight deteriorates.”
She said sufferers of Parkinson’s disease also had trouble with proprioception, and so had a constant lean because their bodies were trying to compensate.
“The Equilibri Balance Ball works to retrain that sense, so that the body can rely on it, rather than on sight alone. This in turn rebuilds neural pathways, and improves balance,” Ms Teasdale said.
“Thanks to its neuroplasticity, the brain can form these new neural connections, and therefore reorganise itself or be retrained, throughout a person’s life.”
She said the balance ball had two hand-shaped vibration pads on either side that responded to sensors inside the ball which calculated its location in space and vibrated the pads accordingly.
“The Equilibri is to be used with a series of specially-developed exercises, based on yoga and tai chi movements (and) complements existing therapies such as physiotherapy, physical exercise and fitness classes.”
Ms Teasdale and Mr Hinwood are soon to begin clinical trials of the Equilibri at the University of Canberra.
