Proprioception is one of the most important senses in our body.

At HappyKido we are regularly asked what exactly proprioception is, how it works and how you can train it.

In this blog we explain everything you need to know about proprioception.

Proprioception meaning

In one sentence: proprioception, also called position sense, is the ability to perceive your own body and is important for the balance and motor skills of our body. The proprioceptive system is a sense that is located in our muscles and joints and gives us the feeling of body awareness. Proprioception therefore determines how much force you have to use and which muscles you have to tense in different situations.

How does proprioception work?

The proprioceptive system is one of three systems in our body that influences our balance. Balance is determined by information from the following systems:

• Proprioceptive system : Proprioception or the sense of position through muscles, joints and skin
• Vestibular system : The balance organ in the inner ear
• Visual system : The sense of sight, seeing with the eyes

All three systems contribute to good balance and body awareness. If one of the three systems fails or is less developed, the other two try to compensate. The proprioceptive system is the most difficult to compensate.

The Function of Proprioceptors

Our muscles contain sensors that transmit information to the sensory nerves, these sensors are called proprioceptors. This information reaches the brain via the nervous system, where the information from the three senses (proprioception, balance organ and vision) is processed.

Not only in the muscles, but also in the skin, tendons and in the connective tissue around the muscles and joints, there are sensors (proprioceptors). These proprioceptors determine the degree of muscle tension, the position of joints and the tension in the tendons. This phenomenon is known as proprioception.

What is impaired proprioception?

Proprioception is the sensory system responsible for perceiving the position and movement of the body. It allows us to know where our body is in space and how it is moving without visual input. When this system does not function optimally, we speak of a disturbed proprioception.

Effects of impaired proprioception

With a well-developed proprioceptive system, you are aware of your body. You can easily keep your balance, you know exactly how much pressure you need to apply when writing, you know whether you are standing upright or upside down. In children, it is common for the proprioceptive system to not be fully developed, which manifests itself in problems with performing motor skills and in a child's posture. Children who have proprioceptive problems can show the following signs:

• Bad posture (slumped shoulders, cannot stand on one leg)
• Uncertain gait pattern (frequently bumps into objects, difficulty climbing stairs, difficulty walking in a straight line)
• Uncoordinated arm movements
• Excessive biting and chewing on objects
• Put too much pressure on writing

Can you train proprioception?

Yes, proprioception is trainable. There are several exercises and activities that are aimed at stimulating and strengthening proprioceptive skills. These exercises can help improve body positioning, stability and movement control.

Training proprioception

A good development of the proprioceptive system is therefore very important. There are a number of exercises that strengthen proprioception, these are called proprioceptive activities. These exercises help a child to wake up the muscles and the brain, which puts the child in an alert state and can therefore learn and develop better. Proprioceptive activities are exercises in which a child has to exert force by tensing muscles and regulate this force, so that both the muscles and the brain are activated. A number of examples of proprioceptive activities that a child can practice independently are:

1. Push ups : A normal push up might be a bit too heavy, for example start on your knees or standing against the wall.
2. Squeeze : Use your right hand to squeeze your left arm, or the other way around is also possible. Play with the pressure you apply, start with your wrist, then your forearm, then your upper arm.
3. Hug : Wrap your arms around your knees and give yourself a big hug, again play with the amount of pressure you apply.
4. Help with groceries : lift heavy grocery bags from the car into the house. Practice your balance by only loading one arm with a heavy grocery bag.
5. Squat : Try a squat, better known as a squat. Stand up straight and lower yourself down as if you were going to sit on a chair. Hold this position at the bottom and keep your balance, then come back up and repeat a few times.

Also use tools that train the proprioceptive system even more! For example, use the Sensory Body Sock , and the Sensory Sleep Tunnel by HappyKido. The constant compression of these interesting tools wakes up the muscles of a child and thus stimulates the proprioceptive system. With the Sensory Swing a child can safely hang upside down and practice with balance and equilibrium.