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Proprioception Activities

Proprioception is the body's ability to know its location in space without sight. For example, proprioceptors in your muscles, tendons and joints enable you to close your eyes, then touch your nose with a finger. Proprioceptors are sensors that transmit information about joint angle, muscle length and tension to your brain. Proprioception activities improve the functioning of these sensors. According to the IDEA Health and Fitness Association, proprioceptive training should start with static balance activities, progress to dynamic balance activities and then add coordination and agility training.

  1. Dynamic Balance Activities

    • Dynamic balance activities are designed to improve dynamic stability. Dynamic stability is your ability to keep your center of mass over the body's support area during movement, including walking, running and playing sports. These activities include forward, backward and lateral movements and sport-specific training. A simple dynamic balance activity would be to walk (or run) forward, then backward and then to the side. Start easily and gradually increase the speed and distance. Plyometrics (specialized, high-intensity training techniques to develop strength and speed) are also a dynamic balance activity.

    Static Balance Activities on a Stable Surface

    • Start by standing on a level floor, one foot in front of the other with the front heel touching the back toes. Either keep your arms at your sides or raise them. With your eyes open, stand still for 30 seconds. When you can stand still for 30 seconds, close your eyes and stand still for 30 seconds. Another exercise is to stand still on one leg for 30 seconds with eyes open and arms at your sides or raised. When you can stand still for 30 seconds, close your eyes and stand still on one leg for another 30 seconds.

    Static Balance Activities on an Unstable Surface

    • For an unstable surface, you can purchase a piece of equipment such as a balance board or stability trainer. Start by doing the one-leg balancing exercise. Then you can move onto doing numerous other exercises of your choice on the unstable surface, including calf raises; hip abduction, flexion, extension or adduction; mini-squats; and lunges.

    Coordination and Agility Activities

    • Agility is your ability to control the direction of your body or parts of it during rapid movement. Agility and coordination activities include pivoting, twisting, cutting and jumping. If you play a specific sport, you want your agility and coordination activities to focus on imitating movements of your sport. For example, soccer players can benefit from side-to-side movements and kicking activities, whereas golfers can benefit from activities that focus on how to maintain balance while moving the upper extremities.

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