Orthopedics Physical Therapy An Overview of Proprioception By Laura Inverarity, DO Laura Inverarity, PT, DO, is a current board-certified anesthesiologist and former physical therapist. Learn about our editorial process Laura Inverarity, DO Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Jonathan Cluett, MD on November 20, 2019 twitter linkedin Jonathan Cluett, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. Learn about our Medical Review Board Jonathan Cluett, MD on November 20, 2019 Print Proprioception is the medical term that describes the ability to sense the orientation of your body in your environment. It allows you to move quickly and freely without having to consciously think about where you are in space or in your environment. Proprioception is a constant feedback loop within your nervous system, telling your brain what position you are in and what forces are acting upon your body at any given point in time. Don Mason / Getty Images The way that we can tell that an arm is raised above our head, even when our eyes are closed, is an example of proprioception. Other examples may include your ability to sense the surface you are standing upon, even when you are not looking at the surface. If you are walking along the sidewalk, and then turn to walk upon a grassy surface, your body knows how to adjust to the change in surface because of proprioception. Anatomy of the Proprioception System Proprioception comes from sensory nerve endings that provide our brain with the information of the limb position. There are specialized nerves in your muscles and joints that communicate with your brain and tell it what position your joint is in and how much stretch or strain in on the muscles surrounding a joint. The nerves surround each muscle bundle, creating a system of communication with your brain about what is happening to the muscles and joints of your body. What Happens When Proprioception Is Impaired? If you have poor proprioception after an injury or surgery, you may not even notice. But sometimes, impaired proprioception results in difficulty with basic functional mobility. When walking on unsteady surfaces, you may feel like you are about to lose your balance. If your proprioception is really off, you may even fall. Upper extremity injuries may also result in loss of proprioception. You may have difficulty reaching properly, and you may have problems with fine motor tasks that require precision of movement. Improving Proprioception Many people perform balance and proprioception exercises after an injury or illness. After a total knee replacement, your physical therapist may work with you to help you regain your sense of your knee's position. He or she may have you perform balance exercises. These may include: The T-Stance balance exerciseSingle leg stanceBOSU stepsBAPS boardupper extremity functional practice and movement Progression of proprioception exercises can be done by altering the surface you are standing upon. Try standing on a pillow or piece of foam. Standing with your eyes closed, thus eliminating your visual system, can also challenge your proprioception. When you visit a physical therapist, he or she may assess your balance and proprioception and prescribe exercises to help improve your proprioception. These exercises may challenge your balance, creating situations where you feel unsteady. This unsteadiness is necessary; it helps to improve your balance and proprioception. Understanding how proprioception affects your balance and your ability to navigate through your environment may be a key component to your successful rehabilitation after an injury. A Word From Verywell Proprioception is a complex series of muscle and nerve communications that tell your brain where your body is in space. If you have been injured, your proprioception system may become impaired, leading to an altered ability to function properly. Working with your PT can help improve your proprioception and your overall functional mobility. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y. Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods. J Sport Health Sci. 2016;5(1):80–90. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004 Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh IL, Konczak J. The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;8:1075. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01075