Proprioception is the feedback you get from you joints, muscles and tendons that tells you where your body is in space and assists with motor control and motor planning.

Characteristics of Proprioceptive Dysfunction

• Experiencing difficulties with touch, balance or movement.
• Appear stiff, awkward, uncoordinated and clumsy. May fall and trip often.
• Poor sense of body awareness
• Lean on, bump into or crash against objects or other people. Frequently may invade other’s body space.
• Have difficulty climbing up and down stairs.
• Hold pencils, crayons or other objects extremely tightly or extremely loosely.
• Pull on or twist clothing. Stretch shirts and sweaters. Chew sleeves or collars.
• Have difficulty carrying out unfamiliar and complex motions, e.g. tying shoes or learning a new sport.
• Difficulty doing familiar and simple motions without looking, e.g. pulling up pants, putting on socks
• Manipulate hair clips, light switches and classroom tools so hard that they break or are damaged.

Activities to Enhance Proprioceptive Function

• Pulling/pushing weighted wagon or cart (use library books, bean bags, etc.)
• Wheel barrel walks
• Rough and tumble play or wrestling
• Digging in sand or dirt
• Wiping windows, tables, whiteboards, chalkboards
• Carrying heavy items
• Pulling on elastics, theraband, etc.
• Experiencing vibration
• Deep pressure massage
• Playing with Play-Doh, plasticine or modeling clay
• Running, jumping, stretching
• Pillow fights, falling into a pool of pillows, hiding under heavy pillows or blankets
• Stirring cookie batter or liquids of other consistencies

Source:
Geneva Centre for Autism
112 Merton Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4S 2Z8
Tel: (416) 322-7877 – Toll Free: 1-866-Geneva-9 – Fax: (416) 322-5894
www.autism.net