Sensorimotor training: A “global” approach for balance training

SummarySensorimotor training was developed by Dr. Vladimir Janda as part of a treatment approach to chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes. He noted that many of these syndromes exhibited characteristic patterns of muscle imbalance, which were manifested with changes to the central nervous system motor programming. Janda emphasized the importance of proprioception in the rehabilitation process. In order to restore normal muscle firing patterns and reflexive stabilization, he developed a specific proprioceptive exercise progression for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Sensorimotor training emphasizes postural control and progressive challenges to the sensorimotor system to restore normal motor programs in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Patients progress through static, dynamic, and functional phases using simple rehabilitation tools such as balance boards, foam pads, and elastic bands. This paper will describe the scientific rationale for the program and describe the clinical progression of sensorimotor training.