Okuzeka
Physiotherapy vocabulary · Movement and Range of Motion

Proprioception

Meaning in physiotherapy, with examples

/ˌproʊpriəˈsɛpʃən/nounCommon term

In physiotherapy, proprioception means: The body's sense of where its joints and limbs are and how they are moving, even with the eyes closed.

In Turkish: propriosepsiyon, derin duyu, pozisyon hissi

How it is used

Physiotherapists talk about proprioception after ankle and knee injuries, which can reduce it, and train it with balance work such as standing on one leg or on a wobble board. The adjective is proprioceptive: 'proprioceptive training'.

Example sentences

  1. After repeated ankle sprains, her proprioception on that side is poor.

  2. Wobble boards are a good way to train proprioception.

Common collocations

  • proprioceptive training
  • poor proprioception
  • improve proprioception
  • joint position sense
  • balanceThe ability to keep the body steady and upright, whether standing still or moving, without falling.
  • sprainAn injury to a ligament, the strong band of tissue that joins bones together, usually caused by suddenly twisting or overstretching a joint.
  • coordinationThe ability to use different parts of the body together smoothly and accurately, for example when reaching for a cup or walking in a straight line.

More terms: Movement and Range of Motion

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.