Treatment Centre
- Stroke Rehabilitation & Stroke Therapy
- Cerebellar Ataxia Treatment & Treatment of Ataxia
- Spinal Injury Rehabilitation & Spinal Injury Treatment
- Brain Injury Rehabilitation & Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment
- Multiple Sclerosis Treatment & Multiple Sclerosis Therapy
- Treatment Parkinsons & Parkinsons Disease Treatment
- Guillain Barre Syndrome Treatment
- National Clinical Guidelines
Bobath Concept & Bobath Treatment Centre
Treatment used in this centre is based on the Bobath Concept. This approach is used by the majority of neurological therapists in the UK and many other therapists around the world. All of the physiotherapists in this Bobath therapy centre use the Bobath Concept as their framework for practice. It is based on specialist knowledge of how the brain repairs itself, skills in functional movement analysis as well as specialist handling skills of which all the physiotherapists are skilled in this Bobath treatment centre.
Neurological physiotherapy using the Bobath Concept is a specialised area in which state registered physiotherapists spend many years of post graduate training in order to develop their skills and knowledge. It encompasses an in depth knowledge of neurological conditions and an understanding of how these conditions affect the individual's ability to move independently. Certain conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis may be progressive but there is still a need to maintain that individual so that they are functioning at their optimum. Therefore Bobath Concept treatment is aimed both at improving and maintaining functional movement.
The Bobath Concept is a treatment approach which focuses on improving the quality of movement of an individual to maximise their ability to function in day to day activities. The aim is to assess each individual's potential and then design a treatment plan specifically for them. The central nervous system has the potential to adapt and learn through its complex interconnections and it is partly through understanding these connections that the Bobath Concept is so successful. It is also based on an in depth knowledge of quality of movement.
The Bobath therapist uses specialised handling skills to emphasise qualitative aspects of movement but the final goal is for the individual to be able to function independently. It is the ability of the individual to become 'tuned in' to their own movements that allows them to access movement independently.
The teaching of the Bobath Concept is carried out by Bobath Tutors around the world. Out of 17 tutors in the UK two of these have set up this centre, namely Lynne Fletcher and Linzi Meadows. Lynne and Linzi are both Advanced Bobath course tutors.
There is an increasing amount of research being carried out into the Bobath Concept. This is being supported by the work at Leeds Metropolitan University where they ran a masters programme in the Bobath Concept. This masters degree has been completed by Linzi Meadows one of the directors of the company. The British Bobath Tutors Association (BBTA) has recently written a book which was published by Wiley-Blackwell.
Raine, S., Meadows, L. and Lynch-Ellerington, M. (EDs)(2009) "Bobath concept:Theory and clinical practice in neurological rehabilitation". Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK.
Other references which may be helpful include:
IBITA (2008). Theoretical assumptions 2008 www.ibita.org
Graham JV, Eustace C, Brock K, Swain E, Irwin-Carruthers S (2009) The Bobath Concept in Contemporary Clinical Practice. Top Stroke Rehabil. 16(1):57-68.
Bassøe Gjelsvik, EB. (2007) The Bobath Concept in Adult Neurology. Thieme
Raine, S. (2006) Defining the Bobath concept using the Delphi technique Physiotherapy Research International 11(1): 4-13.
Raine S (2007) The current theoretical assumptions of the Bobath concept as determined by the members of BBTA Physiotherapy Theory and Practice 23: 137-152
Raine, S., Meadows, L. and Lynch-Ellerington, M. (EDs)(2009) "Bobath concept:Theory and clinical practice in neurological rehabilitation". Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK.