The Bobath Concept

The rehabilitation treatments available at Fisioterapia Papa Giovanni are based on the Bobath Concept.

The Bobath Concept is an inclusive, individualized therapeutic approach to optimize movement recovery and potential for persons with neurological pathophysiology informed by contemporary movement and neuro-sciences. The concept provides a framework for the analysis of functional movement based on the understanding that neurological pathology affects the whole person.

Intervention focuses on the recovery of typical movement, minimizing atypical and compensatory movement, whilst recognizing that movement problems are influenced by the person’s lived experiences pre and post the neurological lesion. There is an emphasis on a 24-hour multidisciplinary approach to enhance activity and participation. Within the Bobath concept, functional movement analysis considers the influence of sensory information on the relative interaction of postural control, selective movement and cognitive/perceptual processes.

Like wise, trunk and head control is viewed as equally important as upper and lower limb control. The quality of movement performance is considered with respect to the integration of postural control and selective movement, the active alignment of all body segments, and the ability to receive, integrate and respond to sensory information.

Facilitation is a Bobath clinical skill, and is an active process that seeks to influence sensory information through therapeutic handling, environmental and verbal cues. The client’s response to facilitation informs the clinical reasoning process.