Proprio...what??

Proprioception

Proprioception refers to the sense of self-movement, force, and body position. This sense is facilitated by proprioceptors, which are mechanosensory neurons found in fascia, muscles, tendons, and joints. Most animals have various types of proprioceptors that detect different aspects of movement, such as joint position, movement, and load. While all mobile animals have proprioceptors, the sensory organs' structures can differ among species.

Proprioceptive signals are sent to the central nervous system, where they are combined with information from other sensory systems, like the visual and vestibular systems, to form a comprehensive understanding of body position, movement, and acceleration. In many animals, feedback from proprioceptors is crucial for maintaining body posture and coordinating movements.

In other words, it's your body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location.

Fascia Mobility, Proprioception, and Myofascial Pain

Some very interesting is being done on the fascia.  Researchers have found that the fascia has 10 times more proprioceptors than muscle (Myers 2011).  Next to the skin, the fascia is one of the most sensitive sensory systems in the body.  

The network of fasciae, which are connective tissues in our bodies, is a crucial part of the musculoskeletal system that people often don't think about. Being able to move fasciae, especially where muscles meet, is essential for our muscles and bones to work properly. This movement might also be important for our sense of body position, though it hasn't been studied much.

Fasciae, especially the deeper layers like the epimysium and aponeuroses, have recently been found to be full of tiny nerve fibers that can send pain signals, especially when there's inflammation. People with disorders that make their connective tissues too loose or too stiff often have a lot of musculoskeletal pain and may have problems with their sense of body position. We don't know much about how fascia movement, body position sense, and muscle pain are connected, but learning more could help treat many people with musculoskeletal pain better.

Fascia mobility, proprioception, and myofascial pain are three important topics that scientists haven't studied together much yet, but they are closely related. Being able to move fascia, especially where different muscles slide past each other, is crucial for our muscles and bones to work properly. This idea needs to be included more in models that explain musculoskeletal pain.

Many people with connective tissue problems or inherited issues with sensing body position suffer from musculoskeletal pain, and we don't really understand how their fascia works. Myofascial pain is a new field, and researchers need to find good ways to measure it to develop effective treatments. Understanding more about fascia mobility, proprioception, and myofascial pain could lead to better care for many people with musculoskeletal pain.

Stay supple,

Nicole