About proprioception
I think we would all agree that our bodies are amazing. We have more than just the well known senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. I’m not talking about the paranormal but our senses go much deeper than that. Proprioception is like a hidden sixth sense that tells our bodies where it is in space. This can be of course challenged in a number of ways but particularly so when our sight is compromised.
Proprioception or lack of it becomes immediately apparent throughout Pilates practise as proprioception tells you how your body is positioned, what it’s doing and how. How your body moves and it’s orientation is affected by your sense of space. This sense is perceived using our nervous system and is associated more with our connective tissue more than our muscles. Connective tissues like ligaments, tendons and fascia, being more innervated than muscles mean they possess more sensory receptors. This is why it’s imperative we ensure our connective tissue is health and work on proprioceptive sense.
Why Pilates for proprioception
Proprioception along with many other things declines with age. We need proprioception, vision and equilibrium for upright posture and balance. Without it, our walking, balance, ability to stand and move around is hindered. Luckily we do things to enhance it and this is where Pilates can become very useful. Pilates trains our bodies to understand a sense of where it is in space with an emphasis on control, alignment and flow. Regular Pilates practise can help us develop our sixth sense, leading to deeper understanding and importantly awareness. We become aware of how we feel and move and hopefully maintaining health and avoiding injury.