Use It or Lose It: Proprioception

Picture yourself at 70 or even 80 years old. What can you still do? Can you imagine yourself still jumping, running, picking up a grandchild, getting off the toilet? These things won’t come naturally to you at that age. If you want to be able to do those things in old age, you have to train for it now. If you are already middle-aged, it’s time to get really busy. When it comes to muscles, it’s “use them or lose them,” and we have written often about the importance of working at muscle strength and trying to keep lean muscle mass as we age. But we also have to exercise the brain’s connection to the muscles.

Proprioception, or kinesthesia, is the sense that lets us perceive the location, movement, and action of different parts of the body. It encompasses a complex network of sensations, including perception of joint position and movement, muscle force, and effort. Think of all the things you lose when you’re drunk–yeah, that’s proprioception. Most of us know that as we age, we lose lean muscle mass and strength, but the sharpness of our proprioception also diminishes with age. It’s another use it or lose it scenario. Poor proprioception increases the likelihood of injury. If you notice yourself having issues with balance and coordination in your everyday life, you could use some proprioception training. 

People who continue to play sports as they age really have an advantage here. Besides staying strong, and in good cardiovascular condition, they are also constantly sharpening their proprioception by practicing and honing their skills for their particular sport. Starting a new sport will really fire up your body’s proprioception capabilities by challenging your body awareness and balance in new ways. If sports just aren’t your thing, then a practice like yoga or Tai Chi is also great for improving proprioception. If that seems like too much, any single leg balancing exercise is also helpful. Here’s a basic one:

Stand on one leg, with your hands on your hips. Bring your raised straight leg forward for 10 seconds, then to the side for 10 seconds, then to the back for 10 seconds, then the side, then front again–all while maintaining balance on the other leg. Now switch to the other leg and do the same. Do three rounds of this. For an added challenge (and if you have a friend to spot you) try doing the same exercise with your eyes closed.

Consistently training your body’s proprioception can mean the difference between falling or not falling as a senior citizen. Often a fall late in life marks a big change for an older person’s ability to be physically active. The statistics are grim for older people that fall and sustain major injuries. Bed rest means the loss of muscle mass at an alarming rate–and it is very difficult to get lean muscle mass back late in life. So train your proprioception now, and reap the benefits as an active, healthy senior. 

Until next time

Scott and Lennart


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