“Vestibular” Training
“Kids” have decreasing poor core strength, poor balance, underdeveloped vestibular (inner ear balance control) function, and are now ADHD—or at least fidgeting excessively. Of course, we knew all this back in the 1950s except the ADHD part which was in an incubation period…
Kids? Sounds like a lot of adults too. Why? We are programmed to move—not sit all day.
In our corporate wellness operations, we started shifting a few years ago to even more “3-D” movement patterns that emphasize vestibular loads. Why? Prevention. If you want to prevent a fall—develop your vestibular ‘inner ear’ system of balance control—along with feet, vision, etc. Sitting all day makes it worse—not better. Rolling, inversion, spinning, many of the speed, agility and quickness drills in my recent running classes, etc. all increase vestibular load and have potential to increase fall prevention as they improve “control” of movement—as long as they are taught properly and monitored for quality and safety.
Kids and adults need more actual “physical education.” Movement (and balance) are skills that need to be taught and trained. If you want to move and not get hurt—move well with good control. Standing, walking, running, jumping, hanging, rolling, pushing, pulling, and more all used to be taught with technical precision in physical education classes…back “in the day”…when injuries were far lower and attention focus was much higher.
