VOR, VCR & VSR
Vestibular Ocular Reflex (VOR): is a reflex that coordinates eye and head movement in order to keep an object in focus. The VOR is one of the fastest
reflexes in the human body. Head movement must be compensated for almost immediately to have clear vision. This means when your head moves one direction, your eyes must move in an equal and opposite direction at virtually the same speed to keep a target in focus.
For Example: When you are walking your head is not staying perfectly still, yet objects don’t rotate or jump up and down (if the VOR is working properly). The VOR is triggering your eyes to move in the opposite direction of your head to keep objects in focus. If the VOR is deficient, you may experience oscillopsia (illusory motion of the environment) when moving and why you would feel better when sitting still.
Your VOR works best at frequencies greater than 1 Hz, which is equivalent to turning your head to the right and then the left in one second. If your head is moving slower than 1 Hz, your visual system will take over the responsibilities. Routine daily activities generally range between less than 1 Hz to about 4 Hz, while walking averages between 2 to 4 Hz and running may challenge the system up towards 10 Hz.
Vestibular Collic Reflex (VCR): A reflex that acts on the neck musculature to stabilize the head.
Vestibular Spinal Reflex (VSR): is a reflex body movement that maintains your posture and stabilizes your body; this reflex keeps you upright. It refers to reactions that happen below the neck.
For example: If you tip your head to the right, the spinal cord will induce extensor effects on your muscles on the right side of your body and flexor effects on the muscles on the left side of your body (similar to one side pushing and the other side pulling) so that you don’t lose your balance. OR…If someone bumps into you on the right and you start falling to the left, you need all your muscles on both sides of your body to activate (a push from one side and a pull from the other) so that you don’t fall down.
One of our Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) providers who are additionally certified to assess and treat balance and vestibular disorders will determine your deficiencies and instruct you in specific exercises in order to improve these reflexe
reflexes in the human body. Head movement must be compensated for almost immediately to have clear vision. This means when your head moves one direction, your eyes must move in an equal and opposite direction at virtually the same speed to keep a target in focus.
For Example: When you are walking your head is not staying perfectly still, yet objects don’t rotate or jump up and down (if the VOR is working properly). The VOR is triggering your eyes to move in the opposite direction of your head to keep objects in focus. If the VOR is deficient, you may experience oscillopsia (illusory motion of the environment) when moving and why you would feel better when sitting still.
Your VOR works best at frequencies greater than 1 Hz, which is equivalent to turning your head to the right and then the left in one second. If your head is moving slower than 1 Hz, your visual system will take over the responsibilities. Routine daily activities generally range between less than 1 Hz to about 4 Hz, while walking averages between 2 to 4 Hz and running may challenge the system up towards 10 Hz.
Vestibular Collic Reflex (VCR): A reflex that acts on the neck musculature to stabilize the head.
Vestibular Spinal Reflex (VSR): is a reflex body movement that maintains your posture and stabilizes your body; this reflex keeps you upright. It refers to reactions that happen below the neck.
For example: If you tip your head to the right, the spinal cord will induce extensor effects on your muscles on the right side of your body and flexor effects on the muscles on the left side of your body (similar to one side pushing and the other side pulling) so that you don’t lose your balance. OR…If someone bumps into you on the right and you start falling to the left, you need all your muscles on both sides of your body to activate (a push from one side and a pull from the other) so that you don’t fall down.
One of our Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) providers who are additionally certified to assess and treat balance and vestibular disorders will determine your deficiencies and instruct you in specific exercises in order to improve these reflexe