Towel Tube Balance
Purpose: To enhance freedoms and relationships between vision, balance and movement
Apparatus: Rubber ball, cardboard towel tube, metronome
Method:
1. The patient is asked to hold the tube vertically with the ball balanced on the top.
2. The patient is instructed to walk about while balancing the ball.
3. This should be attempted holding the tube with both hands, and with each hand alone.
4. Patient transfers the tube from one hand to the other while walking.
5. This task should also be attempted while
a. looking at the ball
b. looking at various objects in the room as they are called ou by the home assistant.
6. As performance improves, patient attempts to walk to a beat. Increase and decrease the beat.
Aspects to be Emphasized:
1. Ability to balance the ball and move about simultaneously.
2. Ability to use either hand, or both, and transfer from one hand to the other.
3. Ability to perform with emphasis on either central or peripheral vision.
