What is Proprioception?

Oliver Sacks beautifully described proprioception as one of our “sixth senses” — a hidden
but vital sense that operates automatically and often without conscious awareness.
Discovered by Charles Sherrington in the early 1900s, proprioception is still not widely
taught outside of therapy and specialist fields.

Proprioception refers to the sensations coming from our muscles, joints, tendons and more
recently from our network of fasciae. Specialist receptors — muscle spindles, joint
receptors, Golgi tendon organs and different fascia machanoreceptors constantly send
information to the brain about where our body parts are, how they are moving, and what
they are about to do.

Areas with the highest concentration of joints and muscles — like our hands, feet, and face
— provide the richest proprioceptive feedback. In the brain, these areas are given much
more “space” on our somatosensory cortex, highlighting their importance.
Proprioception is crucial for understanding ourselves, others and learning new skills:

Self-awareness: Knowing where our body is in space at any moment (feedback)
and planning movements to interact with the world (feedforward) Movements
such as Smiling can make us feel happier. Frowning can deepen feelings of
sadness. When our ability to express ourselves through movement is limited (as
can happen in conditions like cerebral palsy or autism, where muscle tone is
altered), our emotional experiences may also be muted or harder to process.
Social connection: We observe and mirror others’ movements, especially when
babies, to build connection and support development. Our body postures,
gestures, and facial expressions — rich in proprioceptive feedback — are deeply
linked to emotional experiences. When we mirror someone’s smile, frown, or
posture, we start to feel their emotions ourselves. This emotional resonance lays
the groundwork for empathy — an essential human skill for social connection
and survival.
Learning: new movement skills: Through movement, we build vast “libraries” of
motor experiences. These movement memories allow us to:
Act safely and effectively in the world
Adapt when faced with new challenges, learn new skills
Feel capable and in control, have agency in the world. Support self-
esteem

Movement and Cognition: Interestingly, bodily movement also boosts cognitive
abilities. Studies have shown that using hand gestures can improve memory and
even mathematical problem-solving!

How Does Proprioception Develop?
Proprioception starts very early — even before birth!

Around 7–8 weeks gestation, the first muscle movements (tiny twitches) begin,
sending signals to the developing nervous system.

By 9 weeks, whole-body movements start, propelling the fetus through the amniotic
fluid, providing vital feedback through the skin and muscles.

At around 11 weeks, breathing muscles, jaw, and tongue movements begin.
Movement of the tongue on the roof of the mouth even helps shape the developing
palate!

These early movements are essential:
They stimulate the developing sensory and motor systems.
They help create “maps” of the body in the brain’s somatosensory cortex and
cerebellum.
They contribute to the development of other sensory systems — for example, eye
muscle movements promote early visual system wiring even before the baby can see
light.
Well-being monitoring: Fetal movement is an important sign of a baby’s health
before birth. After birth, assessing a baby’s movement can even predict neurological
outcomes (such as through Prechtl’s General Movements Assessment).
If fetal movement is limited, it can impact skeletal formation and even influence how certain
genes are expressed.

Born Early

In the womb, the amniotic fluid and the uterine walls support fetal movement, cushioning the baby against the pull of gravity. This environment allows babies to develop crucial postural skills — like bringing hands to mouth or legs to tummy — and builds proprioceptive feedback.

If a baby is born prematurely:

• The baby is no longer surrounded by supportive fluid.
• Gravity restricts movement — babies often lie flat on a mattress, limiting exploration.
• Midline movements, flexion poses, and tactile-proprioceptive feedback are reduced.
• The brain may receive less sensory input from muscles and joints, potentially impacting areas like the cerebellum and somatosensory cortex.
• This depletion of sensory information can have long lasting effects on the development of motor skills, body awareness, and even emotional regulation.

“Through every stretch, every cuddle, every tiny movement, proprioception quietly builds
the foundation for who we are and how we connect with the world.”