Sensory Challenges & Proprioception | Halifax Nova Scotia
What is the Proprioceptive System?
The proprioceptive is one of our 8 sensory systems that is present in everyone. Proprioception allows your brain to understand where your body is in space without having to rely on visual input alone. It is within our muscles and joints and allows us to perceive movement and body position.
The proprioceptive system is your body’s ability to sense and detect things like movement, force, pressure, location and movement of limbs. For example, being able to touch your nose even if your eyes are closed is an example of the proprioceptive system in action. We are able to know where body parts are without looking for them.
Sensory Challenges with the Proprioceptive System:
Sensory challenges with the proprioceptive system can include:
- Using too much force: When doing something like writing or colouring, the person may break the writing utensil tip a lot or rip the paper.
- Playing rough: May engage in rough and tumble play a lot, throwing things or wrestling with others. May play “too rough” without realizing it.
- Misjudging force: Cannot understand their own strength or force needed for certain activities. May often spill things, drop things they are carrying, or complain that things are too heavy to carry.
- Difficulty with body awareness: This can make it difficult to understand where their body is in relation to other objects.
- Seeking deep pressure and heavy movements: Preferring to be wrapped tightly in things like blankets, loves tight hugs, lying under something heavy, or wearing tight clothing. Preferring to jump or run when they should be walking.
- Clumsiness and uncoordinated movements: Frequently falling, dropping items, or accidentally bumping into objects around you.
How OT’s can Support these Challenges:
Occupational therapy (OT) plays a significant role in addressing proprioception-related challenges. OT can provide a range of interventions to improve sensory integration and body awareness. Intervention will often involve providing input to the muscles and joints through deep touch pressure, joint compression, or heavy work to stimulate proprioceptive receptors.
Interventions may include:
Weight-bearing activities: Crawling, pushing, pulling, or lifting objects.
Massage or joint compressions: Helping to improve body awareness and calming the nervous system.
Resistance exercises: Activities such as pushing or pulling heavy objects to activate deep muscle groups.
Coordination activities: These activities may include things like clapping, catching a ball, or playing a musical instrument. This way, both sides of the body are activated to complete tasks, and clients can work on coordinated body movements.
Movement activities: Combining proprioceptive input with vestibular (movement and balance) input. Activities like swinging, spinning, or rocking can help integrate these two sensory systems for better coordination and balance.
Mirror exercises: Mirror exercises can help clients develop body awareness. Using a mirror so clients can observe their movements can help them improve it. For example, they can use the mirror to look at their nose and touch it. Then they can try doing it with their eyes closed. The mirror helps with visualization.
Body position games: Body position games can also help clients develop body awareness and improve movement. OTs could encourage them to try yoga to help with balance and awareness of their body. OTs could also try out a game like Twister! This way, the client can practice holding postures, moving into certain postures, and balancing.
Sensory Diets: Tailored sensory experiences that are strategically scheduled throughout the day to provide sensory input based on the individual's needs, helping them to stay regulated and engaged
Animal walks: Encourage clients to walk on their knees, hands, bear walks, crab walks, etc. This engages their muscles and joints and can help stimulate their proprioceptive system.
Environmental Adaptations: Occupational therapists may also modify the person’s environment to help them navigate more easily or safely.
Conclusion:
Overall, proprioception is a critical sense for everyday functioning that helps us have awareness of our body. It helps us with our movement, balance, strength, and coordination. Occupational therapists play a key role in helping individuals develop or regain the proprioceptive skills needed for independent and functional living.
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