Physical equilibrium is largely influenced by the vestibular system. The inner ear system detects movement when calcium crystals move tiny hairs called cilia as we move, stand or sit.

Remembering that the vestibular system’s main function is to inform the brain of the head’s location in space is crucial to comprehending vestibular rehabilitation and the underlying corrective procedures.

Simply put, our internal reference that tells the brain how our head is positioned—up, down, tilt, etc.—is the vestibular system. On the other hand, the sensory (pain, pressure, and touch) and visual systems are external references that give our brain information about the stability and movement of the environment we live in.

It is the integration of various sensory modalities that gives us normal equilibrium when the systems cooperate. The crystals move the hairs when you experience motions, like in a car. In order to understand motion, balance, and spatial orientation, the brain gets messages from the hairs in addition to information from the eyes and your sense of touch.