Body awareness lays the foundation for perception and movement in daily life. Part of our proprioceptive system, body awareness, is recognizing where our body is in space, helping us understand how to relate to everything around us. This awareness guides us to reach for objects correctly, keep an appropriate distance when standing in line, and safely move our bodies.

Body awareness is a critical skill in daily life. It helps our children move about safely and interact appropriately with the world around them. If body awareness is undeveloped, it can result in delayed motor skills, clumsiness, or lack of coordination.

Why we need body awareness 

We rely on body awareness for motion, coordination, balance, and fine and gross motor skills. Being aware of our hands and fingertips helps us know how to hold a pencil and how hard to press down. It also allows us to estimate weight and distance, such as working out how much strength you'll need to carry a box of full water bottles by just looking at the box.

We rely on body awareness constantly. It helps us stay balanced, keeps us safe, assists us in moving well, and guides us in interacting with objects and people in our immediate environment. Good body awareness makes daily life much easier, whether at home, work, or school, while poor body awareness can make everyday life a real challenge.

What is proprioception?

Proprioception, or depth perception, is one of the eight senses that comprise our sensory system. With auditory, tactile, visual, olfactory, gustatory, vestibular, and interoceptive perception, proprioception is often seen as the sixth sense, guiding us in how we move about daily.

Body awareness is a vital part of our proprioceptive system, providing us with information about:

• The position of our body - for instance, where our legs and arms are at any given time.
• The distance to objects helps us estimate how far they are away.
• The weight of an object - to help us estimate how heavy it will be.
• How much power do we need to carry or move an object? 

To develop good body awareness, we must receive appropriate proprioceptive feedback. Proprioceptive receptors are located in muscles, ligaments, and tendons all over the body and give permanent sensory input to the brain. 

Suppose your child has an over- or under-responsive proprioceptive system. In that case, working on these receptors is essential to help balance their sensory needs and give them the proprioceptive feedback they crave.

Signs of poor body awareness

Occasionally, children and adults have reduced or not-so-well-developed body awareness skills, which can be a sign of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Signs of poor body awareness may include: 

• Clumsiness (unintentional running into doors, walls, or other objects)
• Restricted balance 
• Rough body contact with other people (intensive hugs, unintentional hurting of others) 
• Difficulty carrying objects 
• Uncoordinated movement
• Weird sitting or lying position
• Strange gait pattern 

If you have poor body awareness, an occupational therapist (OT) can help you improve it. An OT can develop a program to work on the proprioceptive system and train the body to recognize signals from the joints and muscles. OTs can also suggest strategies to help children and adults maximize their body awareness skills to cope better with daily life.

Improving body awareness

The best way to improve body awareness is to incorporate training into daily life by practicing daily life skills or introducing games and activities for children.

Daily life skills

• Put clothes on and off
• Baking and cooking
• Watering flowers
• All kinds of sports 
• Running, jumping, and walking in general
• Carrying and moving objects

Games and activities for children

• Playdough
• Lego, building stones
• Throwing and catching a ball
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Yoga for kids 
• Animal imitation (crawling like a bear, jumping like a kangaroo, etc.) 
• Jumping on a trampoline
• Body picture (draw around your child's body on a big sheet and paint it later with your child, including eyes, nose, mouth, clothes, etc.)
• Play a game where you estimate the size and weight of an object.
• Pillow fight 
• Rolling around on the floor
• Gymnastics 
• Fine and gross motor games 
• Play a game like Simon Says or do the Hokey Pokey to practice moving different body parts ("put your left leg in, put your left leg out…")
• Create a backyard obstacle course to go over, under, and through obstacles.

CalmCare can help

Another way to improve body awareness and proprioception is to wear Calmcare calming sensory clothing. The gentle compression provides 24/7 sensory input and support, helping improve body awareness, posture, and depth perception. Sensory clothing can also calm the body, reduce stress, and increase overall well-being.

Nurturing body awareness

In conclusion, body awareness and proprioception are essential components of our sensory system, significantly impacting our ability to move and interact with the world around us. A well-tuned proprioceptive system is crucial for everyday activities, whether ensuring children develop proper motor skills or helping adults maintain balance and coordination. Recognizing signs of poor body awareness early and seeking appropriate interventions, such as occupational therapy, can significantly enhance one's quality of life.

Integrating practical activities and sensory-rich games into daily routines can improve body awareness. From simple tasks like putting on clothes to engaging in sports and playful exercises, these practices provide vital proprioceptive feedback that helps refine our body's spatial and movement perceptions. Tools like Calmcare sensory clothing can also offer continuous sensory input, aiding in developing and maintaining body awareness.

Ultimately, nurturing body awareness not only aids in physical coordination and safety but also enhances overall well-being by understanding and supporting our proprioceptive system, which can foster a more balanced, confident, and connected approach to daily living.

If you care for a child with apraxia, we recommend reading 'Looking after your needs as a carer.'

 

References 

Healthline

Very Well Health

Red Door Paediatric

LLA Therapy 

The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice or treatment. We endeavor to present accurate details and share helpful insights for the benefit of our community. However, we strongly encourage you to seek advice from a doctor, psychologist, or other qualified medical professionals for any medical issues or concerns.