Proprioception: Your Body's Hidden Sense of Balance

Balance in the body is a complex system, quite different from the general concept of balance in life. Internally, our bodies constantly regulate processes like heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol, breathing, and digestion. However, the most crucial element for functional bodily balance is often overlooked: proprioception.

Proprioception is our body’s inherent awareness of its position in space—the ability to sense its own orientation. This seems straightforward until the body experiences trauma, strain, or a more serious event like a stroke or surgery.

This "sixth sense" operates in a surprisingly intricate way. Consider this: How do you know when your foot strikes the ground while walking? Expanding on that, how do you instantly know you've landed in a stable position, allowing you to absorb the impact, assess the ground surface, and confidently load that leg for the next step? It's more complex than it initially appears.

Proprioception relies on the nervous system's capacity to instantaneously receive and interpret information, then send signals back to the muscles for appropriate responses. Think about the speed at which you walk, run, jump, or climb. The body must react even faster to adapt to ever-changing conditions. This rapid response is what truly defines proprioception as our body's sixth sense.

But proprioception isn't solely about signals traveling from the feet upward. It encompasses total body positioning. How do we realize we're slouching at our desk? How do we sense the position of our arm when reaching for something in a high cabinet?

This sixth sense has profound implications for our overall function. We simply cannot function properly without it. Its importance is especially evident in maintaining balance. We walk at varying speeds, sideways, backwards, and in countless other ways. None of this would be possible without proprioception.

Now, let's examine factors that affect proprioception. Orthopedic injuries like sprains, strains, tears, and fractures can negatively impact this sense. By altering the length-tension relationship of muscles, these injuries can hinder the muscles’ ability to sustain contractions and provide stability. Overstretched ligaments lose their capacity to send crucial input to the brain, which is necessary to engage stabilizing muscles when a joint moves beyond its normal range.

Proprioception is also influenced by the combined input from our vestibular system, muscle stretch receptors, and nerves in our thighs, calves, and ankles/feet. This integrated input creates movement strategies to compensate for disturbances in balance.

The Ankle-Knee-Hip Strategy describes how our lower body coordinates functional movement, determining which muscles contract and when. The saying "Timing is everything" is particularly relevant here. If the thigh muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings) fire prematurely, it can cause toes to drag and lead to tripping.

Whether we are 1, 21, or 91 years old, proprioception is crucial for movement and function. High-level athletes rely on it for movement stabilization to achieve peak performance. But everyone needs it to avoid falls and maintain stability in everyday life.

Want to improve your proprioception? The first step is identifying the underlying cause of any dysfunction. That's where we can help. A comprehensive assessment helps determine the proper treatment plan. From there, targeted balance exercises can improve stability, restore function, and boost confidence.

For more information or to speak with a therapist about improving your body's balance, call (203) 389-4593. Tap into your sixth sense today!

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<span class="fineprint"Kyle Branday, MSPT, CAP, is a Physical Therapist and partner at Amity Physical Therapy with locations in Woodbridge, Hamden, Milford, Wallingford and Branford.  He is certified in dry needling, acupuncture, and has 19 years of experience treating a broad spectrum of orthopedic and neurological conditions. Kyle can be reached at 203-389-4593 or visit amitypt.com.</span>