Targeting Anticipatory and Compensatory Postural Responses to Improve Balance in People with TBI

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) causes sensorimotor deficits that affect essential anticipatory postural adjustments (APA) and compensatory postural adjustments (CPA), resulting in reduced postural stability and balance. Current rehabilitation programs often lack the specificity to target APA and CPA, leading to balance dysfunction even during chronic stages of recovery. This study evaluates the effects of a novel perturbation-based balance training program with visual cues (PBTvc), which targets APA and CPA mechanisms, using biomechanical and functional metrics. Preliminary results show improvements in balance biomechanics and functional outcomes after PBTvc.