What is Proprioception? Understanding the ‘Sixth Sense’ in Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder

Ever wondered how you manage to walk through a cluttered room without tripping, even when your eyes are glued to your phone? That’s proprioception at work. This unspoken but incredibly astute guide, powered by your proprioceptive sense, helps you weave through life’s physical obstacles without a second thought. The nervous system plays a crucial role in this process, with sensory receptors sending detailed messages to the brain about body positions and actions.

To assess proprioceptive function, doctors may perform a distal proprioception test, where the patient’s big toe is moved up and down, and the patient tries to replicate the movement with their eyes closed. Yet, for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), where the proprioceptive system is crucial for maintaining balance and coordination, this internal guidance system can sometimes get its wires crossed, making a simple walk through the park feel more like sailing through a storm.

Imagine proprioception as your body’s secret sense—no, not like a superhero, but almost! It’s the internal sense that tells you where your limbs are without the need to look. This network of muscle fibers, joints, and brain pathways is akin to having a GPS that updates your every move in real-time. It’s why you can type without staring at your keyboard or reach for a coffee cup without taking your eyes off the screen.

For individuals with ASD and SPD, this internal map can occasionally become blurry. Here’s how proprioceptive dysfunction generally plays out:

• • Hypo-responsiveness: It’s like having a GPS that’s slow on the uptake, only telling you to turn after you’ve already missed your exit. This delayed proprioceptive feedback can lead to clumsiness or poor coordination, affecting the precise control of limb movement necessary for tasks requiring specific force and speed.

  • Hyper-responsiveness: Now imagine a GPS that’s overly enthusiastic, screaming directions at you non-stop with bells and whistles to boot. It can be overwhelming, causing a person to want to shut down or withdraw from sensory overload.

Proprioceptive dysfunction significantly impacts the processing of sensory input, leading to the challenges described above. This can affect performance on tests such as the standardized field sobriety test, which includes the walk-and-turn and one-leg stand tests.

Proprioception helps choreograph the daily dance of our lives, from mundane tasks to complex movements. For those facing challenges with proprioceptive input, everyday tasks can seem like intricate dance routines that require immense concentration and effort.

• • For Motor Skills: Think of a dancer learning complex moves. Similarly, proprioceptive input is essential for developing and refining motor skills. Without it, even simple tasks can become challenging puzzles.

  • For Spatial Awareness: Good proprioception is like having a well-calibrated compass; it helps individuals understand where they are in relation to the world around them, crucial for tasks requiring precision and safety.

  • For Behavioral Regulation: Sometimes, behaviors like rocking or flapping aren’t just random; they’re ways to seek additional proprioceptive feedback. It’s like someone turning up the radio to hear better over the noise—these actions help adjust their sensory volume.

Embarking on the journey to improve proprioceptive function doesn’t mean going it alone. There are numerous paths to explore:

• • Occupational Therapy: An occupational therapist can be the ultimate tour guide in recalibrating the internal GPS, employing specialized activities that mirror everyday tasks to improve body awareness and coordination.

  • Physical Therapy: Think of these professionals as personal trainers for your sensory systems, strengthening the body’s ability to handle proprioceptive input through targeted exercises.

  • Proprioceptive Activities: Engaging in martial arts, yoga, or even a set of jumping jacks might well be akin to system updates for your internal GPS, ensuring it operates smoothly. Proprioception training is a focused approach to enhance proprioceptive function through specific exercises and activities, aiming to improve balance and spatial awareness.

  • Sensory Diets: Like how you might update apps to keep your smartphone running smoothly, a sensory diet involves tailored activities designed to ensure optimal sensory processing throughout the day.

1. Crawling Exercises: Wheelbarrow Walks, Bear Crawls, and Army Crawls engage the body and provide valuable proprioceptive input.


2. Heavy Work Activities: Pushing, pulling, and carrying heavy objects activate multiple muscle groups and create resistance, improving proprioception.


3. Jumping and Stomping: Jumping jacks and stomping exercises engage the whole body and create rhythmic pressure on the joints.


4. Playground Activities: Swinging on monkey bars and climbing on safe furniture can provide excellent proprioceptive input.


5. Weighted Activities: Wearing a weighted vest or carrying a weighted backpack can offer deep pressure and enhance body awareness.


6. Oral Motor Activities: Chewing gum or chewy foods, as well as drinking through a straw, can provide proprioceptive input to the jaw.


7. Resistance Activities: Squeezing Thera putty or using stretch bands for pulling exercises can improve proprioception.


8. Balance and Coordination Activities: Walking on a makeshift balance beam and practicing simple yoga poses can enhance body awareness and control.


9. Sensory Integration Activities: Deep pressure massage and using a vibrating toothbrush can provide additional proprioceptive input.


10. Household Chores: Sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping not only help around the house but also provide resistance and require body awareness.

While proprioception remains unseen, its impact is anything but. Enhancing proprioceptive abilities in individuals with ASD and SPD does more than just aid in movement; it enriches their quality of life, enabling fuller participation in the world. So, let’s sync up with our body’s cues, crank up life’s soundtrack, and move through our days with a bit more rhythm and far fewer bumps.

• • What is proprioception and how does it work?

Proprioception is the body’s internal sense that tells you where your limbs are without needing to look. It involves a network of muscle fibers, joints, and brain pathways that send detailed messages to the brain about body positions and actions, much like a GPS updating your every move in real-time.

• • How does proprioception affect individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)?

For individuals with ASD and SPD, proprioceptive dysfunction can make simple tasks feel overwhelming. This can manifest as hypo-responsiveness, where proprioceptive feedback is delayed, leading to clumsiness, or hyper-responsiveness, where the feedback is overwhelming, causing sensory overload.

• • What are some common signs of proprioceptive dysfunction in children with ASD and SPD?

Common signs include clumsiness, poor coordination, difficulty with motor skills, and behaviors like rocking or flapping, which are ways to seek additional proprioceptive feedback.

• • What types of activities can help improve proprioception at home?

Activities that can help include crawling exercises (e.g., Wheelbarrow Walks, Bear Crawls), heavy work activities (e.g., pushing, pulling, carrying heavy objects), jumping and stomping exercises, playground activities, weighted activities, oral motor activities, resistance activities, balance and coordination exercises, sensory integration activities, and household chores like sweeping and vacuuming.

• • What are the benefits of occupational and physical therapy for children with proprioceptive dysfunction?

Occupational and physical therapists can help recalibrate the internal GPS of children with proprioceptive dysfunction. They use specialized activities and exercises to improve body awareness, coordination, and the ability to handle proprioceptive input, ultimately enhancing the child’s overall physical and sensory well-being.

     Hey there! I’m Eddie Corletto, the passionate mind behind kidscalma.com. A proud father of an autistic teenager. A special education teacher with over ten years of experience in the classroom. I hold a master’s degree specializing in Autism and Sensory Processing Disorders. I am deeply committed to supporting autistic children and their families. Kidscalma is my platform to share both my professional and personal experiences. I specialize in creating helpful resources for parents and educators supporting children on the Autism spectrum, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other learning disabilities. When I’m not in my classroom or writing, you might catch me hiking with my family or cycling around the scenic roads of California’s Central Coast. I believe our children can achieve amazing things every day. Connect with me on Facebook or subscribe to my blog for more insights and resources!

WHAT IS PROPRIOCEPTION? UNDERSTANDING THE ‘SIXTH SENSE’ IN AUTISM AND SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER

Eddie Corletto, M.Ed. Special Education
Published May 16, 2024

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