Our sixth sense varies from person to person
How does our body know how to position itself in space without us even thinking about it? This natural talent relies on proprioception, a complex sensory system that allows you to walk, run, or stand without losing your balance.
But not everyone benefits from the same quality of this sixth sense and the research it produces Conversation Show that these disparities can have important consequences, particularly in terms of health and injury prevention.
What is proprioception?
Proprioception is a sensory mechanism that allows us to sense the position, movement, and force of our limbs even without seeing. It depends on mechanical sensors located in our muscles, tendons and joints.
This information is analyzed by the central nervous system, creating a three-dimensional “mental map” of the body, which is essential for maintaining balance and coordinating our movements.
Abilities that vary from person to person
Contrary to popular belief, the quality of proprioception is not uniform within populations. Some people have extraordinary abilities of adaptation, they modify the use of this sense according to the environment.
For example, on unstable ground, they prefer to receive information from the torso rather than the ankles. On the other hand, about a third of individuals lack this proprioceptive flexibility, putting them at increased risk for injury or chronic pain such as low back pain.
Limitations of compensatory strategies
When proprioception is impaired, such as after an injury, the body implements compensatory strategies to maintain balance. For example, people who have lost sensation in their lower limbs may use signals from the torso.
These adaptations, while functional, are not perfect. They limit the ability to respond to complex situations and can lead to long-term imbalances.
Can you improve your proprioception?
The good news: Proprioception is trainable. Specific exercises, such as balancing on one leg, repeating activities or applying vibration to the tendon, can improve the quality of proprioceptive signals.
These protocols are already used in injury prevention and rehabilitation, but research aims to refine these methods to optimize their effectiveness.