Proprioceptive System

What is the Proprioceptive System?

The Proprioceptive system is made up of receptor nerves throughout our body in our muscles, joints, ligaments and inner ear. These sensory receptors are called proprioceptors that provide the brain information to understand where our body is in space and any changes in our motion, tension, position and forces in our limbs and body. This helps us know how to coordinate movement and the amount strength required to move our body.

An easy example to demonstrate how our proprioceptive system works is to close your eyes and using both hands, touch your ears. Your ability in performing this task without seeing is because of your proprioceptive system.

[Brain Highways, 2010]

Proprioceptive Dysfunction

When such messages are not being sent, received or understood accurately, we can have trouble comprehending how we need to move our limbs or how our limbs are moving. This is called proprioceptive dysfunction.

Students with proprioceptive dysfunction are therefore unaware that their muscles are stretching or contracting, whether joints are bending or straightening and to what degree this is occurring, which can affect how they move and play.

Signs of Proprioceptive Dysfunction

A student may be seeking proprioceptive input if they show signs in:

Sensory Seeking Behaviours:

Biting or chewing on inedible objects
Bumping, crashing and leaning into things frequently
Kicking feet while seated
Enjoys rough play and often plays too rough with other peers
Enjoys deep pressure such as being ‘squished’ or likes to hug tightly
May walk loudly, stomp or jump inappropriately.

Poor Motor Planning/Control & Body Awareness

Writing or holding objects with excessive pressure
Misjudges how much force to use or the degree to bend/straighten joints
Lacks personal space
Frequently falling or bumping into things accidently
Poor awareness of where body is positioned

Poor Postural Control

Frequently slumping at desk
Poor posture in performing motor tasks

Activities to Regulate Proprioception

To strengthen a student's proprioception there are different exercises and activities that can be used. The following are a range of different activities:

Heavy Work

These activities focus on working against gravity or resistance that usually involves deep muscle contractions. Below are a few classroom examples that could be utilised to further develop a student's proprioceptive system and help them better concentrate and focus when learning.

Carrying heavy objects such as a box of books
Sweeping or mopping the floor
Rearranging chairs and tables by pushing or pulling
Pulling or pushing a cart

Although these are several examples of heavy work activities that can be performed in the classroom, there are number of different equipment that also focus on heavy work to provide proprioceptive input for students.

For further information on Proprioceptive Equipment, please click the pink button below.

The Ora Room has been designed to consist of these mainly heavy work activities that can help kids activate their proprioceptive system.
For further information on the Ora Room and Heavy Work, please click the green button below.

Deep Pressure Techniques

Other than using heavy work activities, deep touch pressure can also stimulate the proprioceptive system. This is when weight or pressure is applied on the body to help calm and modulate a student to help them focus and concentrate better. The following are a few examples that can be provided in class.

Using weighted items such as a weighted blanket or weighted lap pad
Shoulder squeezing massages

The Sensory Room also holds a few pieces of equipment that can be used in providing deep pressure.

For further information on this, please click the blue button below.