| Medical
interest in the notation first developed in Italy in the '60s,
where it was used on a research project to analyse the movements
of cerebral palsy patients, but it was not until the late '70s
that a group of English physiotherapists became interested in its
clinical value. Since then a small nucleus of therapists based
mainly in the UK, Sweden and Japan have studied and used the system
in the clinical field and appreciated its potential as a clinical
tool.
Clinicians
can use BMN as:
• a recording tool for 'shop floor' assessment and reassessment
• a research tool, either alone or in conjunction with instrumentation
methods, to record clinical findings
• a teaching tool to provide a systematic approach for the observation
of movement and the conversion of the information into clinical analyses of both
functional and dysfunctional movements seen in the clinical field
As a written language of movement, in the same way that musical notation
is a written language of music, Benesh Movement Notation has the same
international value as sheet music. It is therefore a language which
enables the communication of movement regardless of differences in
spoken language.
Example 1
 
A
five year old girl with moderate cerebral palsy
Example
2
This example analyses a gait cycle.
Click
each of the links below for further examples that show how
BMN can be used in assessing the relative capacity of different
subjects attempting the same task, a patient’s progress
through sequential recordings and an example of postural analysis.
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5
How can I find out more?
By reading the published material listed below or enrolling on our
distance learning course: BMN for Clinicians <click here> for
details.
Alternatively contact The Benesh Institute and we will endeavour to
put you in contact with someone with experience in the clinical field.
Atkinson, H. (1991) Benesh Movement Notation for Clinicians.
Coventry. Coventry Polytechnic.
(Out of print. Copies held in Philip Richardson library at the Royal
Academy of Dance)
McGuiness- Scott, J. (1983) Movement Study and Benesh Movement
Notation: An Introduction to Applications in Dance, Medicine,
Anthropology and Other Studies. London. Oxford University Press
(Available from RAD Enterprises Ltd)
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