Visual-vestibular control of posture and gait: physiological mechanisms and disorders

The scientific analysis of clinical disorders of posture and gait is an eme rging field. Precise definition of the forces and postural movements involv ed has been pivotal to understanding many aspects of the visual and vestibu lar contributions to balance. However, a great deal of argument still surro unds the question of how much gait and posture laboratories actually contri bute to improve the clinical management of individual patients. One of the reasons why gait analysis techniques have not penetrated rehabilitation cli nics may be that the research questions asked have been aimed at understand ing mechanisms rather than at quantifying disability. The condition known a s primary orthostatic tremor, which is not too well known to many neuro-oto logists and posturographists, is briefly reviewed here. We propose that pos turography could be the easiest way to diagnose this treatable condition. C urr Opin Neurol 12:5-11. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.