Bobath concept

The Bobath Concept is an important approach to rehabilitation in the care of patients with injuries to the brain or spinal cord. It is named after its inventors, Berta Bobath, a physiotherapist, and her husband Karel, a neurophysiologist.

It is based on the brain's ability to reorganize (Neuroplasticity), which means that healthy parts of the brain learn and take on the functions which were previously carried out by the damaged regions of the brain. The prerequisite for this is, however, a consequent support and stimulation of the patient on the part of the patient's caretakers. The concept has achieved good successes in rehabilitation, in particular in the case of people paralysed on one side (hemiplegic) after a stroke.

Hemiplegics often tend to neglect their paralysed side, and therefore their limitations, in order to compensate with their less affected side. Such single-sided movements, however, only help the patient in a basic way, since the affected side is not given the ability to receive and work with new information. The brain therefore does not have the opportunity to restructure itself. Instead because of the asymmetric movements, there is still the danger of developing painful spasms.

The main principle of the Bobath Concept is, on the other hand, to support the affected side of the body as much as is necessary to bring its movements into accord with the less affected side of the body.

In the United States the Bobath Concept is usually referred to as Neuro-Developmental Treatment.