Proprioception

1. ASSIGNMENT - 10
*PHYSIOTHERAPY*
WHAT IS PROPRIOCEPTION? LIST OUT AT LEAST 15
ACTIVITIES IN DETAIL TO IMPROVE PROPRIOCEPTION IN
CHILDREN
BY AYESHA SABAHATH
BA PEP FINAL YEAR
AYESHASABA115@GMAIL.COM

2. INTRODUCTIO
N
• WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE FIVE BASIC SENSES
OF SMELL, TASTE, TOUCH, SIGHT AND HEARING, AND
THAT THE SENSING ORGANS COMMUNICATE WITH THE
BRAIN TO SHARE INFORMATION.
• BUT THE HUMAN BODY RELIES ON OTHER SENSES, AS
WELL. PROPRIOCEPTIVE SENSORY INPUT THROUGH
THE MUSCLES AND JOINTS IS ALSO ESSENTIAL.
• LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHY PROPRIOCEPTION IS
IMPORTANT IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT.

3. PROPRIOCEPTION
• WHAT IS PROPRIOCEPTION?
• PROPRIOCEPTION RELATES TO A PERSON’S AWARENESS OF
BODY POSITION AND WHERE THEIR BODY IS LOCATED IN
SPACE.
•
• WHAT DOES PROPRIOCEPTION HELP WITH?
• THE PROPRIOCEPTIVE SYSTEM HELPS BODIES ADJUST TO
VARIOUS SITUATIONS LIKE SITTING, JUMPING, STANDING,
CRAWLING AND USING WRITING INSTRUMENTS.
• IT ALSO INVOLVES MOTOR PLANNING TO EFFECTIVELY
MOVE BY USING INPUT FROM ALL THE AVAILABLE SENSES.

4. EXAMPLES OF
PROPRIOCEPTIO
N
• MOST OF THE MOVEMENTS THAT HUMANS
MAKE EACH DAY ARE TAKEN FOR GRANTED.
BUT MANY SENSES ARE ACTUALLY INVOLVED,
INCLUDING PROPRIOCEPTION, IN ORDER TO
EFFECTIVELY CARRY OUT MOVEMENTS SUCH
AS THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES:
•
USING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FORCE WHEN
WALKING ON SOFT GRASS VS. HARD CEMENT
• PLACING HANDS CORRECTLY WHEN CATCHING
A BALL
• PRESSING ON A CRAYON WITH THE RIGHT
AMOUNT OF FORCE AND NOT BREAKING IT
• TOUCHING HANDS TO A NAMED SPOT ON THE
BODY WITHOUT LOOKING

5. • WHAT IS PROPRIOCEPTIVE SEEKING BEHAVIOR?
• WHEN CHILDREN HAVE ISSUES WITH NOTICING OR CORRECTLY PROCESSING ALL
SENSORY INPUT, THEY SOMETIMES TRY TO MAKE UP FOR THIS BY GAINING MORE
SENSORY INFORMATION.
• PROPRIOCEPTIVE INPUT SEEKING CAN CAUSE BEHAVIOURS THAT FIT WITH
HYPERACTIVITY.
• THESE KIDS OFTEN BANG THEIR HEADS, CHEW ON EVERYTHING, PLAY ROUGHLY
WITH OTHERS, RUN INSTEAD OF WALK, TEAR THE PAPER WHEN WRITING OR
COLOURING, WALK ON THEIR TIPTOES AND GENERALLY STAY ON THE MOVE.

6. • WHAT IS PROPRIOCEPTIVE AVOIDING BEHAVIOR?
• CHILDREN WHO STRUGGLE IN THEIR SENSORY
DEVELOPMENT SOMETIMES FEEL OVERWHELMED BY
SENSORY INPUT AND AVOID IT.
• THESE ARE THE KIDS WHO COVER THEIR EARS WHEN
NOISES SEEM TOO LOUD, DO NOT LIKE TOUCHING
CERTAIN KINDS OF TEXTURES, OR REMOVE THEMSELVES
FROM THE BUSY PART OF A ROOM.
They often do not like clothes that feel too tight, activities
that require physical effort, or hugs.

7. PROPRIOCEPTIVE INPUT ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN
HERE ARE 16 SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH
YOUNG CHILDREN FOR PROPRIOCEPTIVE INPUT.
1. ORAL ACTIVITIES
OFFER YOUR CHILDREN GUM OR FOODS THAT REQUIRE ACTIVE CHEWING AND
DRINKS OR EVEN APPLESAUCE TO SUCK THROUGH A STRAW.
MAKE A BUBBLE SOLUTION AVAILABLE FOR KIDS TO BLOW THROUGH A BUBBLE
WAND.
BLOWING UP BALLOONS OR PLAYING WIND INSTRUMENTS OFFER SIMILAR BENEFITS.
2. CALMING ACTIVITIES
USE WEIGHTED BLANKETS AND WEIGHTED VESTS TO CALM EMOTIONS AND
BEHAVIOURS.
CARRYING BEANBAGS IN POCKETS OFFERS THE SAME EFFECT.

8. • 3. HEAVY WORK
• MAKE THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY INTO “PLAY” OR ASK YOUR KIDS TO “HELP” YOU.
• HEAVY WORK INCLUDES PUSHING, PULLING, CRAWLING, LIFTING AND CARRYING.
• GARDENING, WASHING THE CAR, FURNITURE MOVING/STACKING, INDOOR CLEAN-UP TIME,
SWEEPING/MOPPING AND SHOPPING ARE SCENARIOS WHERE THESE MOVEMENTS ARE EASY TO
INCORPORATE.
4. EXERCISE ACTIVITIES
PLAN FUN EXERCISES FOR KIDS, SUCH AS PUSH-UPS AND JUMPING JACKS. URGE THEM TO WALK IN
VARIOUS WAYS, SUCH AS WHEELBARROW WALKING OR CRAB WALKING.
TRY TUG-OF-WAR, HOPSCOTCH, SWIMMING, JUMP ROPE, PILLOW FIGHTS, ROPE CLIMBING, LEAPFROGGING
AND BOUNCING ON AN EXERCISE BALL
5. OUTDOOR FREE PLAY/RECESS
• ALTHOUGH PLANNED ACTIVITIES CAN BE WONDERFUL, ALLOWING CHILDREN THE FREEDOM TO PLAY AS
THEY CHOOSE WHILE OUTDOORS HELPS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE’S NEEDS ARE BEING MET.
• WHETHER THEY ARE “SEEKERS” OR “AVOIDERS,” KIDS CAN CHOOSE WHAT FEELS GOOD FOR THEM.
• 6. FINE MOTOR ACTIVITIES
• OFFER THE CHILDREN A WIDE VARIETY OF MATERIALS TO ENGAGE IN FINE MOTOR ACTIVITIES SUCH AS
COLOURING, DRAWING, CUTTING AND BUILDING.

9. 7. HIGH ENERGY ACTIVITIES
SKIPPING, RUNNING AND TRAMPOLINE JUMPING ARE MOVEMENTS THAT REQUIRE
PLENTY OF ENERGY AND GET THAT HEART RATE UP.
SET UP AN OBSTACLE COURSE AND ADD THE CHALLENGE OF A TIME LIMIT TO URGE
FAST MOVEMENT.
• 8. PLAYGROUND ACTIVITIES
• OFFER UNSTRUCTURED FREE PLAY TIME FOR CHILDREN TO USE PLAYGROUND
EQUIPMENT.
• SWINGING, CLIMBING, HANGING, PUSHING, PULLING AND SLIDING ARE ALL
BENEFICIAL FOR MUSCLES, MOOD AND BRAINS!
9. PASSIVE ACTIVITIES
HUG CHILDREN TIGHTLY OR APPLY DEEP PRESSURE TO ARMS AND SHOULDERS.
PLAY THE HOTDOG GAME, IN WHICH ONE CHILD IS ROLLED UP IN A BLANKET AND
ANOTHER CHILD PLAYS AT SPREADING THE VARIOUS CONDIMENTS ON THE HOTDOG
IN THE “STEAMROLLER,” AN EXERCISE BALL IS ROLLED OVER A CHILD WHO IS LYING ON
THEIR TUMMY.

10. • 10. RESISTANCE ACTIVITIES
• USING STRETCHY, ELASTIC EXERCISE BANDS, A CHILD STANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BAND
AND HOLDS BOTH ENDS WITH THEIR HANDS. THEN, THEY CURL UP ONE ARM WHILE HOLDING
THE OTHER STILL.
• ANOTHER IDEA IS TO MOVE BOTH ARMS AT THE SAME TIME, FLAPPING THEM LIKE WINGS.
• BANDS CAN ALSO BE WRAPPED AROUND CHAIR LEGS FOR THE KIDS TO STRETCH WITH
THEIR FEET/LEGS.
• 11. RHYTHM/MUSIC ACTIVITIES
• USE SONGS WITH A CATCHY RHYTHM TO SING AND MOVE AROUND.
• FOR EXAMPLE, SING “THE ANTS GO MARCHING” WHILE KIDS SING, MARCH AND STOMP.
• 12. MOVEMENT WITH A PURPOSE
• ADULTS ARE SOMETIMES TEMPTED TO SAY, “GO OUTSIDE AND RUN AROUND FOR A WHILE.”
THIS SUGGESTION COULD WORK FOR SOME CHILDREN BUT NOT FOR OTHERS.
• INSTEAD, OFFER A MORE PRECISE CHALLENGE: “LET’S SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES YOU TO
RUN AROUND THE HOUSE THREE TIMES!” OR “CAN YOU MOVE THAT HEAVY BOX ALL THE WAY
ACROSS THE ROOM?”

11. • 13. BALL ACTIVITIES
• BALLS OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES CAN BE USED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
• USE THEM FOR KICKING, THROWING, CATCHING, BOUNCING, SQUEEZING, ROLLING,
PUSHING, CARRYING (WEIGHTED) AND BLOWING.
• 14. YOGA
• SHOW KIDS HOW TO MOVE AND STRETCH INTO VARIOUS YOGA POSES.
• THESE CAN BE DONE ON THE FLOOR/MATS OR IN CHAIRS, BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND WITH
PARTNERS
• 15. SPORTS
• KEEPING SCORE AND HAVING WINNERS AND LOSERS IS OFTEN NOT APPEALING TO YOUNG
KIDS, BUT MANY SPORTS CAN BE PLAYED JUST FOR FUN WHILE GAINING PROPRIOCEPTIVE
BENEFITS.
• TRY DODGEBALL, TAG, FRISBEE OR KICKING SOCCER BALLS.
• 16. SCAVENGER HUNT
• HIDE VARIOUS ITEMS, INDOORS OR OUTSIDE. CHILDREN WEAR A BACKPACK OR PULL A
WAGON FOR RESISTANCE, ADDING THEIR ITEMS TO THEM AS THEY ARE DISCOVERED.
•

12. CONCLUSION
• EACH CHILD IS DIFFERENT, DEPENDING ON THEIR SENSORY DEVELOPMENT, AND
YOU SHOULD EXPECT THEIR RESPONSES TO PROPRIOCEPTIVE ACTIVITIES TO
VARY, AS WELL.
• THANKYOU