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Bobath Techniques

The Bobath technique, named after physiotherapist Berta Bobath and her husband Karel, a psychiatrist/neurophysiologist, is a method of neurotherapy for patients who have suffered an injury to the brain. Therapists using the technique look at the way any task is performed. This includes observing what patients are capable of completing alone and what they can do with differing amounts of help.

  1. Technique in General

    • The Bobath technique involves helping patients move more freely. The physiotherapist facilitates movement with simple exercises designed to lengthen short muscles and help mobilize tight joints. This strengthens weakened muscles and gives the patient better body alignment. The technique is different from other forms of physcial therapy in that it explores the most effective ways for the body to move. Patients are then taught how to minimize stress on their body while strengthening muscles.

    Treatment for Mind and Body

    • The Bobath technique uses analysis of movement to show patients how to move efficiently. This conserves their energy and means they make fewer unnecessary movements, in turn lessening the pain of moving a worn or injured limb. The mind is taught to minimize the stress and strain of movement by utilizing all available muscles and body parts.

    Rehabilitation Example

    • Rehabilitation is encouraged through the use of normal movement. Patients transferring from a bed to a chair are encouraged to lean forward and transfer the weight to their feet. A nurse or physiotherapist assists them to a standing position, then helps them turn to the chair and into a natural sitting position. This is known as the pivot technique. While the action is simple, breaking it down into specific movements allows the practitioner to work out where help is required, and the patient feels more in control.

    Cerebral Palsy Example

    • Bobath technique is used to good effect with children suffering from cerebral palsy. The technique recognizes that the primitive reflexes children with cerebral palsy often retain can block them from learning voluntary muscle control. The therapist counteracts these reflexes by using an opposing movement -- for example, by repeatedly extending a limb that the child habitually keeps in a flexed position.

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