Vestibulo–ocular reflex

We talk about the vestibular system a lot, as we should.

But, [laughs] but we, when we think vestibular and when it's taught vestibular, we talk about BPPV, and then we talk about angular VO- Like, we talk about VOR in that angular sense and the semi-circular canals, and we ignore the other half of the vestibular system, the part that honestly, in my persistent clients, is the part that I see missed over and over and over again.

It's the part that links to the autonomic nervous system.

It's the part that links heavily to postural control.

Uh, we use the head impulse test or the head thrust test, right? Um, but y'all, that's assessing one vestibular reflex.

One.

It's looking at VOR, right? Our otolith, the otolith organ has two components.

It has our utricle and our saccule, okay? So there's two per ear, so four total.

Gate Stabilization This retrains the vestibulo-ocular reflex so your eyes compensate when your head moves.

Better VOR equals less sensory conflict during spin.

Set Up Hold a card with one letter at arm's length, or pick a small mark on the wall.

Eyes locked on the letter.

Walking while doing it.

Target closer to the face.

VOR-X2, head and target move opposite ways.

Dose, 3-5 mini-sessions a day, about 12-20 minutes total.