Did you know after an injury, it is common to have some loss of Proprioception?

Loss of Proprioception, sounds scary? Not really…
 
Proprioception is the ability for your body to sense where a joint is in space. Proprioception is what makes it possible for you to put a spoon in your mouth with your eyes closed. It is also the reason we don’t roll our ankle every time we step awkwardly on a small rock or fall over going to the loo in the dark.
 
Every joint in the body contributes to proprioception, and if this area is injured it can make it harder to work out where your body is in space, what it is doing, and how to prevent further injury. The most common areas we see this problem is in the ankles, knees, hips, spine, shoulders and hands.
 
Proprioception in our lower limb and spine plays a huge role in our sense of balance. This is what makes it possible for us to correct our footing to prevent slips, trips and things like ankle rolling. This sense of proprioception comes from nerves within the skin, ligaments and muscles and is often disrupted after an injury to ligaments, tendons and muscles, or after prolonged periods of immobilisation (such as casts and braces).
 
Loss of proprioception in the knees or ankles can leave you feeling more unbalanced, or less stable than before. You may find yourself stumbling more frequently, rolling your ankle or having difficulty standing on 1 leg while putting your pants on – that may present a problem …. :)
 
When our proprioception is reduced we are more likely to re-injure the area or cause other problems.
Improving your proprioception after injury is an important part of rehab and allows you to get back to doing the sport you love or work you need to do.
 
Treatment may include balance exercises, hands on techniques, taping, and always targeted exercises specific to you and your injury.
 
Talk to us today about how we can help you regain your proprioception and prevent future injury!
 
☎️ 6352 3131
✉️ [email protected]
ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au

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