What is Proprioceptive input and Why we LOVE it!

Proprioceptive input is calming and organizing for all central nervous systems.

Proprioceptive input refers to the sensory information that your body receives from receptors located in muscles, tendons, and joints. This input helps you understand the position, movement, and orientation of your body parts without needing to see them. It plays a crucial role in balance, coordination, and overall body awareness. We get proprioceptive input into our system by compression (i.e., jumping, pushing, dragging) and contraction (i.e.. pulling, hanging on monkey bars). We call proprioceptive input ”heavy work” activities.  If these activities are done in a structured manner for 5-7 minutes releases serotonin which helps to counteract stress chemicals in the brain and have calming and organizing effects that can last 2-3 hours after activity is completed.

At our pediatric therapy clinic located in Redwood City, California we recommend this proprioceptive input activities as part of a “sensory diet” and as “sensory snacks” or movement breaks in the classroom.  

In someone with an over-responsive proprioceptive system, the brain might interpret regular proprioceptive signals – like the pressure of sitting in a chair, or even gentle touches – as too intense or unpleasant. This overreaction can lead to discomfort, avoidance behaviors, or distress in response to everyday proprioceptive experiences.

A child with an under-responsive proprioceptive system may bump or crash into people or objects,  enjoy rough play and constantly seem to be wrestling with siblings or friends. He may ends to stand too close to others or touch others without permission. A under-responder craves bear hugs, holding hands, and other kinds of physical pressure. poor gradation of force, often slamming doors, breaking crayons, by using too much pressure which interferes with performance of daily tasks.

Both of these kinds of responses (under and over) can benefit by proprioceptive input activities.

“Heavy work” ACTIVITY IDEAS:

• Jumping
• Climbing
• Running
• Animal walks
• Monkey bars
• pushing and pulling heavy things
• Digging in sand box
• Carrying buckets of rocks, sand, or water
• Jump rope, lay rope on ground and jump over
• Play floor is lava and set up pillows or spots on floor for child to move across room without touching the lava
• Obstacle Course: crawling under chairs, over couch cushions, jumping over broom, running around couch, etc.
• Big hugs
• Massage with hands or large ball
• Chewing on power chew or crunchy or chewy snacks
• Crashing into pillows/bean bag
• Laying under beanbag or pillows
• Wheelbarrow walk (hands on ground, feet held up by adult)
• Tug of war
• Carrying a heavy backpack
• Stomping
• Jumping jacks or scissor jumps

• Help change sheets on bed and carry linens to laundry.
• Help pull wet laundry from washing machine and put into the dryer

TIPS TO MAKE IT FUN!!

• Utilize different activities in an obstacle course
• Count repetitions (for example jump 5 times, do three big squeezes and freeze then do 3 more
• Use a timer to time how fast your child can do something. Challenge them to try to beat their time or see how many things they can do in 30 seconds while still in control.
• Use a visual schedule with an order of tasks to get done
• Have your child do different types of movements as they move through the house. Jump to the bathroom to brush your teeth, crawl like a bear to your bedroom to get your pajamas on, roll to the table for dinner.
• Let them help carrying laundry, groceries, unloading dishwasher, making bed, watering plants etc.

Give it a try and if you want more information contact us at Developmental Pathways for Kids.