Your 6th Sense
Did you know you have a 6th sense? It’s called proprioception. Your body sends information from joints and other tissues like ligaments to the brain. Your brain creates a map of where your body is in space based on this information. The more calibrated this system is the better you move.
Proprioception helps you with:
Balance and coordination: Crucial for agility, preventing falls, and executing complex maneuvers.
Injury prevention: Enhanced awareness of your body's position in space can help you avoid awkward landings or overextending.
Movement efficiency: Improved proprioception translates to smoother, more powerful movements.
The good news? You can train proprioception! Here’s how:
Balance challenges: Single-leg standing, wobble boards, or bosu ball exercises.
Unilateral movements: Unilateral exercises are those that isolate and train one side of your body at a time, using a single arm or leg for the movement
Rotation: Training rotation of the spine, rib cage and pelvis.
Balance with visual restrictions: When safe to do so, perform exercises with eyes closed.
Here is an article with 10 great proprioceptive exercises for you to try.
This article is for general information only. The advice and recommendations we discuss do not replace a healthcare provider's advice, treatment, or care. The use and implementation of the information discussed are at the sole discretion of the reader.