Balance and Proprioception Training

Proprioception is basically one’s ability to know about the movement of his or her own body part without having to look at it. When you Walk or come in and out of your car do you always look at the floor? No, because you have the ability to know where your body part is going without looking at it constantly. You can Enhance your proprioceptive skills by practicing exercises which can help in preventing injuries to the body by making it adaptable to the changing environment which helps to improve your balance.

Balance and proprioception consist basically of the conscious and subconscious awareness of our body’s position in relation to the space around it and the maintenance of stability of our centre of gravity. Our body uses this sensory feedback information to orient itself in order to complete everything from simple daily tasks like walking to more complex movements in athletics like jumping and landing, yoga or hitting a tennis ball with a racquet. Additionally, our body use proprioceptive information to protect its muscles and joints through stabilization and proper positioning to prevent overstretching or tearing or tendons, ligaments etc.

What Causes balance and proprioception disorder?

After a serious injury or even as we gradually age, our body’s proprioceptive ability is altered and diminished, potentially resulting in further injury and dysfunction.

The best example is an ankle sprain. The ligaments near ankle joint have proprioceptors which help to maintain balance. After ankle sprain, these receptors are affected. Research studies have even shown proprioceptive deficits as responsible for the initiation and advancement of joint degeneration in otherwise injury-free and healthy subjects. With that in mind, it is easy to see that adding balancing and proprioceptive exercises into your workout program or injury rehabilitation protocol will greatly aid in contributing to a full recovery and prevent future joint dysfunction.

What Does Physical Therapy Do to Treat Balance and proprioception Disorders?

Balance and proprioception are controlled by our central nervous system.

Types of Exercises to Enhance Proprioception

There are a number of exercises that can be performed to help enhance your proprioception. They are:

Exercises While Closing Your Eyes:

As you grow more confident, you will be able to perform your activities with your eyes closed. It will help in enhancing the communication and coordination between your brain and muscles which will further make you capable of knowing where your body part is without watching it.

Strengthening Exercises:

Strengthening exercises like leg press, squats, etc help in making your muscles stronger. As the muscles get stronger, the brain starts recognizing their strength. This strength helps in the improvement of proprioception awareness of the mind and the body.

Plyometric Movements and Drills:

Exercises that incorporate coordination and movement help in enhancing kinaesthetic awareness. As the body moves, the brain eventually gets trained to respond to these movements. Hence over a period of time, we are able to perform activities with more confidence and less fear.

Help for Balance and Gait Issues

Your hard work with a physical therapist could yield significant benefits for you over the long-term. For instance, sometimes physical therapy can eliminate the need for assistive devices. Call our team today at Monroe, NJ center, to discuss your physical therapy options and to learn how we can help with your balance and Proprioception disorders. We look forward to speaking with you!