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peanutbutterwife t1_j2l1gin wrote

Reply to comment by wi_voter in Researchers have discovered a new situation from the everyday environment where our crucial ability to perceive what is truly vertical is compromised: when our body pitches (body pitch) and moves at the same time (body motion) by giuliomagnifico

More or less. It's more like knowing where your head and body are in relation to the surfaces you are interacting with, i.e. the floor and the walls.

Want to test how good yours is? Take a thick cushion off of a chair or couch. Place it on the floor, far away from things, in case you fall over during the test. Now, stand on it, with your feet almost shoulder-width apart. Close your eyes. And just stand there. Feel how much your body has to react to the non-stable surface, without visual cues. Don't hold onto anything and don't put your arms out to balance yourself.

This was one of the tests they made me do for my diagnosis. My wobble was "extensive enough to warrant further testing". A bit of wobble is normal. I almost fell off the cushion thing, twice. That test was less than 60 seconds.

It's best if you have someone to watch you so they can document how much you wobble. Preferably, a physical therapist or neurologist who knows about equilibrium problems.

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wi_voter t1_j2l2n3k wrote

I am a physical therapist but haven't ever heard it called that.

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_tropical_tundra_ t1_j2l7xd4 wrote

What is it usually called?

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wi_voter t1_j2ldui7 wrote

We simply refer to it as LOB, loss of balance and the attempt to regain midline either balance or equilibrium reaction. I can see how the term pitch could fit the action of being displaced.

In this study it doesn't seem like a sudden unexpected change in displacement but a response to the incline which we'd usually call a righting reaction, assuming that is what they mean by pitch in the study. Trying to confirm so I know I'm understanding it correctly.

edit: rereading it I believe by body pitch they mean the extent the person is leaning backwards so their head/upper body is posterior to the vertical axis. That would make sense since they used the dental chair to create "pitch" without movement.

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_tropical_tundra_ t1_j2ledky wrote

Thanks! TIL!

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wi_voter t1_j2lfks6 wrote

I added this edit if you didn't see it:

rereading it I believe by body pitch they mean the extent the person is leaning backwards so their head/upper body is posterior to the vertical axis. That would make sense since they used the dental chair to create "pitch" without movement.

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rawuncutdope t1_j2l2f56 wrote

What were you diagnosed with?

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peanutbutterwife t1_j2lllza wrote

Meniere's disease, early diagnosis due to debilitating migraines

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WhiskeySpaceBear t1_j2ngz3l wrote

Maybe, menieres disease is over diagnosed at a rate of ~10x. If you suffer from migraines and dizziness, research "vestibular migraines"

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