The Story Behind the Belgau Balance Board
In the 1960s, Dr. Frank Belgau began ground-breaking research to help children improve reading and learning through movement. He discovered that just 10–15 minutes of specific balance and coordination exercises could transform reading fluency, clarity, and rhythm.
At the University of Houston, where he led the Perceptual Motor and Visual Perception Laboratory, Dr. Belgau’s work evolved further, thanks in part to collaborations with NASA scientists, who helped him uncover the vital role of the vestibular system (our sense of balance) in learning and attention.
From this research, he developed the Belgau Balance Board and the wider Learning Breakthrough Programme, a sensory integration approach proven to enhance reading, focus, coordination, and overall brain performance.
Dr. Belgau’s pioneering methods now form the foundation of our own Performance Breakthrough Program, empowering children and adults to unlock their full potential through movement.
The Balance Board That Started It All, Now Stronger, Safer, and Built to Last
The Performance Breakthrough Balance Board is built on the original, world-renowned design created by Dr. Frank Belgau, but we’ve taken it a step further.
Our upgraded version keeps the same proven science and purpose behind the board while improving every detail for today’s families and therapists.
Gone are the soft wooden rockers that used to shift without warning, and hard-to-read grids; in their place, a stronger design with clearly defined foot positions with non-slip skateboard tape for comfort and control. The new locking mechanism on the rockers allows you to fix the board safely in place, giving users of all ages and weights the confidence to progress at their own pace.
It’s the same powerful tool for developing balance, coordination, focus, and learning, just redesigned for modern durability, ease, and peace of mind.
Where Hope, Understanding, and Progress Meet
At Performance Breakthrough, we don’t just provide equipment, we deliver life-changing results. That’s why our balance board is only available as part of our complete 12-month neurodevelopmental programme. The real transformation doesn’t come from standing on a board; it comes from doing the right exercises, in the right order, with the right support.
At Performance Breakthrough, our support isn’t just a 12-month programme; it’s a partnership that walks alongside families as they rediscover calm, confidence, and connection. Parents often tell us that from the very first call, they finally felt heard, understood, and guided by people who’ve lived it themselves.
The regular check-ins aren’t just about progress reports; they become moments of reassurance, laughter, and sometimes even tears, because real change is emotional.
Families describe how their homes have grown quieter, mornings less frantic, homework less stressful, and relationships more relaxed. They talk about seeing their children’s confidence bloom, and their own hope return.
That’s what our support truly is, not a schedule, not a service, but a steady hand that helps parents breathe again and believe that things can get better, one breakthrough at a time.
Honouring the Legacy of Dr. Frank Belgau
When I travelled to Seattle to train with Dr. Frank Belgau, the founder of the Learning Breakthrough Programme, I wanted to gain every insight he had discovered through his decades of research and dedication.
When I first walked through the door of his home, I will never forget the moment he took my hands gently in his and said, “You’re helping a lot of people.” I looked into his eyes and replied, “You have helped so many families across the world, including mine.”
That simple exchange carried the weight of generations of changed lives and became the spark that continues to inspire our work today. The story is now depicted on the underside of our balance board as a lasting tribute to that moment and as my promise to always tip my cap to the extraordinary work of dear Dr. Frank Belgau, whose vision, pioneering research, and compassion opened the door for thousands of families to find hope, progress, and possibility.
We Are Performance Breakthrough
We are Performance Breakthrough, a family whose journey became our mission.
I’m Susan, and these are my sons, John and Peter.
When they were young, both struggled to cope in school until this program changed everything for our family. It gave them confidence, focus, and hope, and today, they stand beside me helping other families find the same transformation.
What began as a mother’s search for answers has grown into a shared purpose, a family helping families to thrive.
