Q. Is walking barefoot good for balance?

Yes, and it is good for proprioception, also known as kinesthesia.

Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense its movements and location. It enables us to touch our noses with our eyes closed.

The risk of proprioception loss increases as we age because of changes to the nerves, joints and muscles. This loss can lead to falls, a serious health problem for seniors. About one third of these falls cause injuries that require medical attention.

If you want to determine if you are having problems with your proprioception, you may want to try the Romberg Test. This is the most commonly used diagnostic test for proprioceptive abnormalities. Here’s how you can test yourself: Stand unsupported for 30 seconds with your heels together and your eyes closed. If you lose your balance during that time, it’s considered a positive result for abnormality.

The following are some symptoms of a proprioception disorder: frequent falls, inability to walk a straight line, clumsiness, trouble gauging your strength, and avoiding stairs or walking on uneven surfaces because you’re afraid of falling.

Proprioception was first defined by Sir Charles Sherrington, a British neuropsychologist, at the beginning of the 20th century. Sherrington described proprioception as the perception of position and motion of joints and body in space.

Sherrington said there are specific receptors in the musculoskeletal system. He claimed that the stimuli to the receptors are triggered by the organism itself.

In addition to aging, the causes for proprioception dysfunction are injuries or any disorder that impact the communication between the sensory receptors that send the signals to the parts of the brain that receive and interpret them. These causes include brain injuries, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

Other proprioception tests include closing your eyes and touching your nose with both index fingers; following a slowly-moving object with your eyes; walking a few steps in a straight line with one foot in front of the other; standing with one foot raised off the floor; touching your fingers one at a time to your thumb. You may recognize these tests as the ones police use on suspected drunk drivers.

A physician may order other diagnostic tests for medical conditions or injuries that could be causing proprioception difficulties.

Treatments options include: physical therapy, occupational therapy to learn how to manage daily tasks, vibration therapy, exercises, tai chi and yoga.

Proprioceptive training has been shown to be effective in treating proprioception loss caused by a number of conditions and injuries. If you are concerned that you may have abnormal proprioception, see your physician.

Have a question? Email: fred@healthygeezer.com. Order “How To Be A Healthy Geezer,” 218-page compilation of columns: healthygeezer.com

All Rights Reserved &Copy; 2021 Fred Cicetti

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