We all want good balance, right? Most of us remember, as kids, we could perform amazing feats of daring without worry of losing our balance. Things change as we grown older. We stop challenging the proprioception system for several reasons: Fear of falling-fear of injury; no time for such silliness; can’t think of a safe alternative – - or the like.
“Proprioception is similar to balance in that it provides a sense of joint position and movement. Proprioception is the ability of muscle to respond to abnormal positions and situations.” -Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2000; pg537. Clearly, better balance and proprioception means less risk of falling and injury.
How do we get it back? Start small..one body part at a time. Proprioceptors are specialized receptors located in joints, muscles and tendons. They are sensitive to very small movements of the body and changes in position. Most of the information gathered and processed by these receptors is done subconsciously, therefore, to train our body to respond quickly and effectively to changes in position, we must practice. This isn’t something you can think your way through.
Start challenging your proprioception system by standing on one leg (stand near something to hold on to..but try not to hold on). Once you can stand on both legs for 1 minute each, go to the next challenge…slightly swing the leg you are holding up forward and back. Start with about 10 inches of movement and gradually build up to about 24 inches. If you can still balance on one leg while performing these “kicks”, you are well on your way to increasing your balance and improving your proprioception system.
Be aware that balance alone will not prevent falls and injuries; you also need strength!
