Sensory System Series: Proprioceptive System
The third sensory system we are diving into is the proprioceptive system. Before we continue, close your eyes and bring your right pointer finger to your nose then your left pointer finger. How were you able to do that? How did you know where your nose was with your eyes shut? Your proprioceptive system allowed you to do that!
Two words to describe this system are body awareness and spatial awareness. The proprioceptive system is our body's ability to sense its location, movements, and actions. Specialized receptors are located within our muscles, joints, and skin allowing us to interpret where our body is in space without looking. Some say this system is our “internal eyes.” We are able to sense where our body and body parts are within space, how fast our body is moving, and the timing, force, and effort of our muscles. Examples include using the proper amount of force during writing, eye-hand coordination to catch a ball, and turning a doorknob.
Since we were born, our brain has created a map of where our body parts are when we receive proprioceptive input. The specialized receptors I mentioned above are stimulated when our muscles and skin stretch or contract, and when our body parts move. Sensory messages are created and sent to our central nervous system which consists of the brain and spinal cord. The map created in our brain contributes to proprioception being both subconscious and conscious. Subconsciously, think about reflexes (automatic responses). They are protective and survival mechanisms we have throughout our lifespan. When we drop an item, we can quickly react and hopefully catch it before it hits the ground if we are lucky! Or just sitting in your chair, your body is receiving proprioceptive input making subconscious adjustments to remain upright. The finger to nose exercise you did earlier is an example of conscious proprioception.
The proprioceptive system is closely connected to our tactile (touch) and vestibular (movement of the head) system which we will cover in the coming weeks. When touch and proprioceptive input are received simultaneously, we are able to judge the amount of force and effort needed to carry out a task, such as setting a glass cup down. Climbing the stairs is an example of vestibular and proprioceptive input being received simultaneously. This system impacts our day to day greatly. It is involved in sequencing our motions, coordinating our body parts, trusting our body to feel safe when moving or sitting, and helps regulate our arousal.
Children with a sensory processing disorder may have difficulty receiving and interpreting proprioceptive input. A child’s proprioceptive system may be over-responsive (hypersensitive) or under-responsive (hyposensitive). Over-responsivity means one has a larger than expected emotional or behavioral response to sensory input. It takes little input to produce a sensation. On the other hand, a child may be under-responsive where the child has low arousal where they don’t notice the sensory input and it takes a lot of input to produce a sensation. They may seek intensive sensory input.
Therapeutic Tool Highlight: CordaRoy's Chenille Convertible Bean Bag Chair
Bean bag chairs provide deep pressure while targeting core strength, postural stability, along with body awareness. This multipurpose tool can be stored in the calming closet as a seating location though can also be transferred into the large room for jumping into to provide whole body tactile input. Furthermore, it can be unrolled into a large mat which you can roll the children into for an additional method of deep pressure input.
We also recommend heavy-work activities as they provide deep pressure to your child’s muscles and joints. They can easily be incorporated into your child’s day and most household chores are considered heavy work allowing for you to have help around the house! You may already be doing heavy work activities without knowing. Check this chart below:
The above strategies are only a few and may or may not help your child depending on their sensory system. As always let us know and we’d be happy to provide you with more. We are here to support you!
Photo Links:
Trampoline: https://runwildmychild.com/trampoline-games/
Hug: https://www.brainbalancecenters.com/blog/proprioception-explained