Chapter 3
The Art of Movement
Proprioception and Balance
Do not fail to learn from the pure voice of an ever-flowing mountain stream splashing over rocks.
Morihei Useshiba
The Art of Movement
Proprioception and Balance
Do not fail to learn from the pure voice of an ever-flowing mountain stream splashing over rocks.
Morihei Useshiba
The human body coordinating movement remains endlessly complicated, much like countless drops of water moving along a mountain stream. The brain gives the order and the muscle moves. In order to do this the body must know where each body part is. How does this happen?
Try this.
Extend and lift your finger out in front of you. Do you know where the tip of your finger is?
Stand on one foot. Obtain your balance. Do you know where your great toe is? Position of your foot? How erect is your posture? Why is it easier to stand on one foot with your eyes open?
Police use proprioception tests to determine sobriety.
- Walk and turn test
- Stand on one leg
- Horizontal gaze/nystagmus test moving the eyes
Medical professionals use the Romberg test to determine a patient's balance when standing; testing vision, proprioception, and vestibular function in the inner ear.
- The body knows exactly where each body part is by the position of individual muscles, fascia and skin.
- Receptors in the muscles, eyes and inner ear sends sensory messages to the cerebellum brain.
- The brain sends motor messages, via the dendrite nerves, to the muscles to make certain movements.
Proprioception: Located in the cerebellum, the primitive animal portion of the brain, proprioception, known as the sixth sense, is the body’s ability to know the orientation and position of the body parts in relation to each other. Developing proprioception in training can increase precision and quickness of movement.
Proprioception can be conscious or subconscious. With proper training the body can use proprioception more subconsciously, allowing the aikidoka more time to focus and consciously fine tune specific actions.
For example, the aikidoka uke attacks the nage's head with a shomenuchi strike.
Subconsciously, the uke knows where her feet and body are, aware where her head is, her shoulders, arms, hips, legs, the position of her hands.
The uke is then able to focus, consciously aware of pushing her body forward with her great toe and foot, then strikng her hand against the nage opponent's head.
The nage is aware of his body's position, hands ready to merge with the uke's attack. His arm meets the nage's blow, bringing her elbow over her head, placing the uke off balance. He moves his foot and weight forward and brings the attacker to the ground.
Each individual instinctively knows where their body is located in relation to their opponent. They know it consciously/subconsciously through proprioception. By developing movement through repeated practice, the individual can train, consciously able to focus and increase their dynamic movement, timing and accuracy.
Subconscious proprioception: the brain automatically knows where the body part is.
Conscious prioprioception: the mind concentrates on a movement with specific muscle. Mindfulness.
How does proprioception work?
Muscle spindles in the individual muscles, special cells in the fascia and skin
Special proprioceptor cells are buried within the muscles, fascia and skin. When muscles expand and contract (stretch/relax) muscle spindle cells send sensory messages to the brain. Fascia, extremely thin protein tissue, covers the muscles and bones. Skin covers the fascia externally. Position and movement signals are sent to the cerebellar brain.
Golgi organs found in the end of tendons
Tendons are hard rubber tissue covered with fascia found at the end of muscles that attach muscles to a bone. When the muscle expands/contracts, the tendon moves causing the bone to move. Golgi tendon organs detect this movement and sends the information to the brain.
Joint position
Joints connect bones to bones Special receptors in the joints detect the angle of the bones as the joint extends or flexes (angle opens or closes). With any movement of the joint, the message is sent to the brain,
The vestibular system in the inner ear has special cells that send messages to the brain, in particular the position of the head. The vestibular system is also responsible for balance and spatial orientation.
Vision. The eyes are important in telling the brain the body's position. Where is the hand? Where is the leg? Try moving with your eyes closed. Vision is also critical for balance, spatial orientation; signals sent to the vestibular system and the brain.
Proprioception is a complicated system, most frequently subconscious; the individual is not aware of it. They are able to concentrate on certain movement, conscious of specific muscles.
Subconscious proprioception: the brain automatically knows where the body part is.
Conscious prioprioception: the mind concentrates on a movement with specific muscle. Mindfulness.
How does proprioception work?
Muscle spindles in the individual muscles, special cells in the fascia and skin
Special proprioceptor cells are buried within the muscles, fascia and skin. When muscles expand and contract (stretch/relax) muscle spindle cells send sensory messages to the brain. Fascia, extremely thin protein tissue, covers the muscles and bones. Skin covers the fascia externally. Position and movement signals are sent to the cerebellar brain.
Golgi organs found in the end of tendons
Tendons are hard rubber tissue covered with fascia found at the end of muscles that attach muscles to a bone. When the muscle expands/contracts, the tendon moves causing the bone to move. Golgi tendon organs detect this movement and sends the information to the brain.
Joint position
Joints connect bones to bones Special receptors in the joints detect the angle of the bones as the joint extends or flexes (angle opens or closes). With any movement of the joint, the message is sent to the brain,
The vestibular system in the inner ear has special cells that send messages to the brain, in particular the position of the head. The vestibular system is also responsible for balance and spatial orientation.
Vision. The eyes are important in telling the brain the body's position. Where is the hand? Where is the leg? Try moving with your eyes closed. Vision is also critical for balance, spatial orientation; signals sent to the vestibular system and the brain.
Proprioception is a complicated system, most frequently subconscious; the individual is not aware of it. They are able to concentrate on certain movement, conscious of specific muscles.
Coordination
Coordination is the precise connection of nerve impulses to and from the brain to complete a task most smoothly and efficiently. This can be improved by practice. Some people are more gifted than others. Myelinization of the dendrite nerve increases speed and efficiency leading to more effective muscle memory.
Balance
Try this: Stand, lift one foot off the ground. Close your eyes. Most often you will lose your balance, the eyes forced open.
Balance is the equilibrium of the body's center in an upright and steady position. Balance uses the eyes, muscle/joints and the vestibular system. The most important component is positioning of the head. How does balance work?
- The eyes give critical visual clues as to orientation and position of the body, in particular the head.
- Muscle, fascia, and skin, bone/joints give position of the body through proprioception,
- The vestibular system maintains equilibrium and spatial orientation.
These sensory messages are sent to the brain and adjustments are made to the muscles to maintain balance.
Located in the inner ear on both sides of the head, the vestibular system is made up of the
semicircular canals which are crucial in balance. Using fluid they detect rotational movement and gravity, and position of the head. There are also special cells used to coordinate proprioception before sending messages to the cerebellum brain.
The semicircular canal in each ear provides symmetrical information to the brain. If one side is off, balance is lost. If the information from other parts of the body is confusing, the receptors are disorientated and the body is thrown off balance If the eyes are closed, balance and coordination can be off, till adjustments are made.
semicircular canals which are crucial in balance. Using fluid they detect rotational movement and gravity, and position of the head. There are also special cells used to coordinate proprioception before sending messages to the cerebellum brain.
The semicircular canal in each ear provides symmetrical information to the brain. If one side is off, balance is lost. If the information from other parts of the body is confusing, the receptors are disorientated and the body is thrown off balance If the eyes are closed, balance and coordination can be off, till adjustments are made.
The cerebellum, not seen in the diagram, is found to the base, back of head above the spinal cord. It is part of the primitive brain and is responsible for balance, muscle tone and movement.
Vision is critical for balance and to navigate space. Visual signals are specially integrated with the vestibular system, which are directed to the cerebellum for coordinated action, especially subconscious movement and awareness.
Sensory and motor signals are also sent to the thalamus, the relay center of the brain which sends them to the appropriate places in the cerebral cortex, responsible for higher level function and thinking. This includes vision signals, touch, spatial information and proprioception. This helps coordinate conscious movement and awareness.
If the thalamus is damaged sensory information can not be processed correctly, resulting in sensory malfunction. If the cerebellum is damaged, life itself is at risk.
Vision is critical for balance and to navigate space. Visual signals are specially integrated with the vestibular system, which are directed to the cerebellum for coordinated action, especially subconscious movement and awareness.
Sensory and motor signals are also sent to the thalamus, the relay center of the brain which sends them to the appropriate places in the cerebral cortex, responsible for higher level function and thinking. This includes vision signals, touch, spatial information and proprioception. This helps coordinate conscious movement and awareness.
If the thalamus is damaged sensory information can not be processed correctly, resulting in sensory malfunction. If the cerebellum is damaged, life itself is at risk.
POINTS TO REMEMBER.
- Proprioception allows our brain to know the position of each body part, consciously and subconsciously.
- This is done through special cells in the muscle, fascia and skin, the tendons and joints which detects movement and sends the message to the brain.
- Vision is valuable in proprioception and crucial in balance. Try maintaining your balance with your eyes closed.
- The vestibular system in the inner ear assists in proprioception and is crucial in balance, monitoring the position of the head.
- You can improve proprioception and balance through training.
- Proprioception allows our brain to know the position of each body part, consciously and subconsciously.
- This is done through special cells in the muscle, fascia and skin, the tendons and joints which detects movement and sends the message to the brain.
- Vision is valuable in proprioception and crucial in balance. Try maintaining your balance with your eyes closed.
- The vestibular system in the inner ear assists in proprioception and is crucial in balance, monitoring the position of the head.
- You can improve proprioception and balance through training.