Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsThe Proprioception SystemProprioception ImpairmentExercisesFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
The Proprioception System
Proprioception Impairment
Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
Proprioceptionis a medical term that describes the ability to sense the orientation of your body in your environment. It allows you to move quickly and freely without having to consciously think about where you are in space or your environment. Proprioception is a constantfeedback loopwithin yournervous system, telling your brain what position you are in and what forces are acting upon your body at any given point in time.
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Examples of proprioception include:
This article discusses how proprioception works, problems with proprioception, and how to improve it.
Anatomy of the Proprioception System
Proprioception comes from sensory nerve endings that provide our brain with the information to sense movement and action. There are specialized nerves in your muscles and joints that communicate with your brain and tell it what position your joint is in and how much stretch or strain is on the muscles surrounding a joint. The nerves surround each muscle bundle, creating a system of communication with your brain about what is happening to the muscles and joints of your body.
What Happens When Proprioception Is Impaired?
If you have poor proprioception after an injury or surgery, you may not even notice. But sometimes, impaired proprioception results in difficulty with basic functional mobility. For example, when walking on unsteady surfaces, you may feel like you are about to lose your balance. If your proprioception is really off, you may even fall.
People with Parkinson’s disease have impaired proprioception that is only partially restored with medications or deep brain stimulation.
Upper extremity injuries may also result in loss of proprioception. You may have difficulty reaching properly, and you may have problems with fine motor tasks that require precision of movement.
Proprioception Exercises
Many people perform balance and proprioception exercises after an injury or surgery. After a totalknee replacement, your physical therapist may work with you to help you regain your sense of your knee’s position. They may have you perform balance exercises, such as:
One small study found that people with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease improved balance when they received proprioception training or a yoga meditation program.
When you visit a physical therapist, they may assess your balance and proprioception and prescribe exercises to help improve it. These exercises may challenge your balance, creating situations where you feel unsteady. This unsteadiness is necessary; it helps to improve your balance and proprioception.
Understanding how proprioception affects your balance and your ability to navigate through your environment may be a key component to your successful rehabilitation after an injury or surgery.
Summary
Proprioception is a complex series of muscle and nerve communications that tell your brain where your body is in space. If you have been injured, have surgery, or have certain conditions like Parkinson’s disease, your proprioception system may become impaired, leading to an altered ability to function properly. Working with a physical therapist may help improve your proprioception and your overall functional mobility.
Yes, it is possible to improve proprioception. One systematic review of 51 studies found that proprioception training resulted in an average improvement of 52% over starting levels. Some single studies reviewed resulted in improvements as high as 80%.
Balance exercises like the T-stance balance exercise, single leg stance, BOSU ball, and standing BAPS board can help improve proprioception. Certain physical activities can also help improve proprioception, including yoga, tai chi, or exercising with a slackline or balance ball.Learn MoreAdvanced Balance Exercises
Balance exercises like the T-stance balance exercise, single leg stance, BOSU ball, and standing BAPS board can help improve proprioception. Certain physical activities can also help improve proprioception, including yoga, tai chi, or exercising with a slackline or balance ball.
Learn MoreAdvanced Balance Exercises
Age, injury, and certain neurological conditions may lead to reduced proprioception. Drugs and alcohol also temporarily affect proprioception.Those who are recovering from an injury may lose the sense of the injured area of their body. Proprioception will return gradually during the recovery process.
Age, injury, and certain neurological conditions may lead to reduced proprioception. Drugs and alcohol also temporarily affect proprioception.
Those who are recovering from an injury may lose the sense of the injured area of their body. Proprioception will return gradually during the recovery process.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y.Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods.J Sport Health Sci. 5(1):80–90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, et al.The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075Elangovan N, Tuite PJ, Konczak J.Somatosensory training improves proprioception and untrained motor function in parkinson’s disease. Front Neurol. 2018;9:1053. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01053Cherup NP, Strand KL, Lucchi L, et al.Yoga meditation enhances proprioception and balance in individuals diagnosed with parkinson’s disease. Percept Mot Skills. 2021;128(1):304-323. doi: 10.1177/0031512520945085Galán-Mercant A, Cuesta-Vargas AI.Mobile Romberg test assessment (Mromberg). BMC Res Notes. 2014;7(1):640. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-640Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y.Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2016;5(1):80-90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, Konczak J.The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review.Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8:1075. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y.Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods.J Sport Health Sci. 5(1):80–90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, et al.The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075Elangovan N, Tuite PJ, Konczak J.Somatosensory training improves proprioception and untrained motor function in parkinson’s disease. Front Neurol. 2018;9:1053. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01053Cherup NP, Strand KL, Lucchi L, et al.Yoga meditation enhances proprioception and balance in individuals diagnosed with parkinson’s disease. Percept Mot Skills. 2021;128(1):304-323. doi: 10.1177/0031512520945085Galán-Mercant A, Cuesta-Vargas AI.Mobile Romberg test assessment (Mromberg). BMC Res Notes. 2014;7(1):640. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-640Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y.Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2016;5(1):80-90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, Konczak J.The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review.Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8:1075. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y.Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods.J Sport Health Sci. 5(1):80–90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, et al.The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075Elangovan N, Tuite PJ, Konczak J.Somatosensory training improves proprioception and untrained motor function in parkinson’s disease. Front Neurol. 2018;9:1053. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01053Cherup NP, Strand KL, Lucchi L, et al.Yoga meditation enhances proprioception and balance in individuals diagnosed with parkinson’s disease. Percept Mot Skills. 2021;128(1):304-323. doi: 10.1177/0031512520945085Galán-Mercant A, Cuesta-Vargas AI.Mobile Romberg test assessment (Mromberg). BMC Res Notes. 2014;7(1):640. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-640Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y.Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2016;5(1):80-90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, Konczak J.The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review.Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8:1075. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075
Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y.Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods.J Sport Health Sci. 5(1):80–90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004
Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, et al.The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075
Elangovan N, Tuite PJ, Konczak J.Somatosensory training improves proprioception and untrained motor function in parkinson’s disease. Front Neurol. 2018;9:1053. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01053
Cherup NP, Strand KL, Lucchi L, et al.Yoga meditation enhances proprioception and balance in individuals diagnosed with parkinson’s disease. Percept Mot Skills. 2021;128(1):304-323. doi: 10.1177/0031512520945085
Galán-Mercant A, Cuesta-Vargas AI.Mobile Romberg test assessment (Mromberg). BMC Res Notes. 2014;7(1):640. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-640
Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y.Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2016;5(1):80-90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004
Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, Konczak J.The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review.Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8:1075. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075
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