Wearing the OTvest™ deep pressure weighted vest can Provide Trunk Stability and Improved Balance for those with Cerebellar Ataxia and Dystonia.

Experience the increased stability and motor control that wearing an OTvest™ provides. The OTvest™ is a simple, non-invasive intervention that helps treat cerebellar ataxia by improving balance and sense of body position. 

Wearing the OTvest™ May Support Trunk Stability and Improved Balance for Individuals with Cerebellar Ataxia

Experience increased stability, confidence, and motor control with the OTvest™ weighted vest. The OTvest™ is a simple, non-invasive intervention designed to support balance, trunk stability, and body awareness for individuals living with cerebellar ataxia and other movement disorders.

Cerebellar ataxia—and related neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, dystonia, and cerebral palsy—often involve impaired coordination, tremors, dizziness, and reduced postural control. The OTvest™ provides deep pressure touch input that may help improve these functional challenges in a gentle, holistic way.

Unlike bulky or overtly therapeutic garments, the OTvest™ is a discreet denim vest that looks like everyday clothing, allowing it to be worn comfortably in daily life, social settings, therapy sessions, or at home.

Those who have used the OTvest™ as a treatment for Parkinson’s, a treatment for dystonia, a treatment for ataxia, and other movement disorders, have written letters explaining how much the OTvest™ has benefitted their lives. Here are just a few:

 Robin, who has cerebellar ataxia, began wearing the OTvest™ weighted vest,  hoping that it would reduce her lateral sway. The OTvest™ provides such an effective treatment for cerebellar ataxia in her case that Robin no longer needs to hold onto a wall or depend on support from her physical therapist when she wears the OTvest™.

She also experienced improvement in her nightly sleep after wearing the OTvest prior to going to bed.

Robin’s before and after experience wearing the weighted vest is recorded and demonstrated in the video below:

NOTE: In this video, Robin is wearing an OTvest™ size medium with 4 lbs. of weight.

How the OTvest™ Works

The OTvest™ delivers deep pressure across the shoulder blades (scapula), upper back, and upper chest, targeting the shoulder girdle—an area critical for postural control and coordinated movement.

Thanks to its patented weight placement, the OTvest™:

• Supports trunk stability

• May improve balance and coordination

• Helps enhance upper extremity control

• Provides proprioceptive input that increases awareness of body position

• May reduce feelings of dizziness and unsteadiness

• May help calm tremors and movement-related anxiety

• Often improves sleep 

When the trunk is stabilized, control of the arms, hands, neck, and head often improves as well—an important neurological principle known as proximal stability supporting distal control.

---

Grounded in Neurodevelopmental Treatment Principles

The weight placement within the OTvest™ is informed by Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) principles developed by neurologist Dr. Karel Bobath and physiotherapist Berta Bobath, who emphasized stabilization of the shoulder girdle to support functional movement in individuals with neurological disorders. This treatment approach continues to be widely used by occupational and physical therapists worldwide. Ms. VandenBerg, who designed and patented the OTvest, was trained in Detroit by the Bobaths. Her many years working at Henry Ford Hospital, Lafayette Clinic, within the  public schools and publications by the American Occupational Therapy Association contributed to her expertise in the creation of the OTvest™.

Research has shown that applying weight at the shoulders in individuals with cerebellar ataxia and multiple sclerosis can reduce lateral (side-to-side) sway (Lucy & Hayes, 1985; Widener et al., 2009). These findings helped inform the design of the OTvest™, which uses less weight more effectively by positioning it directly on the body rather than hanging loosely in pockets or hems of a garment.

---

Everyday Function Made Easier

When upper-body stability improves, everyday tasks often become more manageable. Wearers report improved ease with activities such as:

• Drinking from a cup

• Grooming and self-care

• Typing or keyboarding, handwriting

• Walking in busy or crowded environments

Many users describe feeling more grounded, more secure, and more confident in movement while wearing the OTvest™.ORDER YOUR OTvest™ below to experience what no other weighted garment can provide.

→PLACE AN ORDER HERE to experience the OTvest.  

 

Look for the yellow "OTvest™" label on the chest pocket to make sure you are getting the genuine OTvest™. Others may look like the OTvest™ from the outside, but the weight placement is important.

Only the OTvest™ has the patented weighted insert with weight lying directly upon the body. This makes the difference!

 

 

 

Note: The OTvest™ is not recommended for those with spinal cord problems and the accompanying balance problems associated with those disorders, such as herniated or dislocated discs, degenerative disc disease, or other spinal cord injuries. The balance problems that benefit from the OTvest™ weighted vest are those with upper motor neuron and/or cerebellar problems described in the first paragraph. Recommended to use under supervision of an occupational and/or physical therapist. 

References:

Chase RA, Cullen JK, Sullivan SA. Modification of intention tremor in man. Nature 1965; 4983:485-7.

Clopton N, Schultz D, Boren C, Porter J, Brillhart T. Effects of axial loading on gait for subjects with cerebellar ataxia: preliminary findings. Neurol Report 2003;27:15-21.

Gillen, G. (2000). Improving activities of daily living performance in an adult with ataxia. American Journal of Occupational Therapy (54)1:89-94. 

Hewer RL, Cooper R, Morgan MH. An investigation into the value of treating intention tremor by weighting the affected limb. Brain 1972;95:570-90.

Lucy SD, Hayes KC. Postural sway profiles: normal subjects and subjects with cerebellar ataxia. Physiother Can 1985;37: 140-8.

Morgan MH, Hewer RL, Cooper R. Application of an objective method of assessing intention tremor–a further study on the use of weights to reduce intention tremor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1975;38:259-64.

Morgan MH. Ataxia and weights, Physiotherapy 1975;61: 332-4.

Widener GL, Allen DD, Gibson-Horn C. Balance-based torso-weighting may enhance balance in persons with multiple sclerosis: preliminary evidence. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2009;90:602-9.