| We can define proprioception (I know, it took me a | | | | themselves to the very conditions they fear. My |
| few tries to get it right) as a person's perception of | | | | frequent conversations with Diane, the head of our |
| stimuli relating to his or her own position, posture, | | | | geriatric program, tended to confirm this. On more than |
| equilibrium, or internal condition. | | | | one occasion, she looked sadly around the room at |
| Proprioception came heavily into play for me at least | | | | people unaware of their location or the date and time |
| twice in the last four weeks. | | | | or unable to take part in the program's activities, and |
| Once on a cold, rainy day in Illinois I had to step in a | | | | tell me, "Most of these people should never have |
| puddle as I was walking through a parking lot. As luck | | | | wound up here! They could have done things to |
| would have it, the pavement was broken and uneven | | | | prevent this from happening to them." |
| at the exact spot where my foot fell, and I tumbled | | | | Over the years, I have come to agree with her...both |
| forward. A few days later, as I was descending a set | | | | from what I have learned, and from what I personally |
| of external stairs in the dark in Connecticut, my foot | | | | have experienced. |
| landed on the next to last step. It came down near the | | | | Without going into a lecture on anatomy and |
| edge, and part of the edge had worn away. Again I | | | | physiology, as we age, various components within the |
| tumbled forward. | | | | muscles of the body which constantly send data to |
| Now, as they say, the rest of the story. | | | | the brain gradually begin to shut down or withdraw. |
| I am 60 years old. By all rights, at my age, I possibly | | | | Additionally, tissue which connects the muscles to the |
| should have hit the ground and broken a bone or two. | | | | bone begins to thin out, lose flexibility, and also reduce |
| What actually happened in Illinois was that I whipped | | | | the depth and condition of their links to the bone. |
| my other leg forward, caught my balance, and kept on | | | | The simple solution to this is regular motion and |
| going. In Connecticut, I pushed off the stair with the ball | | | | load-bearing, or resistance exercises. |
| of my foot, swung my other leg forward and jumped | | | | Not only do these types of exercise strengthen the |
| to the ground...and kept on going. | | | | muscles (like what I needed in my jump), and encase |
| Actually, we all deal with proprioception several times a | | | | and protect joints (like my knees when I hit the ground), |
| day. Every time we take a step, we fall forward, and | | | | they help reestablish the faculty of proprioception. First, |
| proprioceptive awareness tells us at each moment of | | | | the system itself gets a workout that helps keep it up |
| the movement where we are and what we need to | | | | to speed, repairing and rejuvenating the various |
| do about it. | | | | transmitters that keep the brain informed. Second, the |
| However, as we age, this awareness process begins | | | | muscles dig their connectors into the bone to a greater |
| to fail for various reasons, and this is one of the | | | | depth, protect the joint more effectively, assist the |
| reasons older people tend to fall more often. Add to | | | | bone in becoming less brittle and more substantial, |
| this the fact that bones begin to thin out and become | | | | provide power for sudden movements, and also aid in |
| more brittle and...Presto! Change-o! Life suddenly | | | | providing the brain with more data, so it can figure out |
| becomes a lot more challenging at best and downright | | | | where every part of the body is, and what to do |
| dangerous at worst. In fact, to make matters worse, | | | | about it. |
| as we become consciously or unconsciously more | | | | By the way, exercises or exercise machines that |
| aware of this change, we tend to alter our lifestyles in | | | | require the body to stabilize itself, for example free |
| ways that cause us to lose even more of this faculty. | | | | weights as opposed to a static exercise machine, are |
| The very act of protecting ourselves from the | | | | much more effective in producing positive affects in |
| presumed pitfalls of old age causes us go get out less | | | | this area. |
| and do less, and this lack of physical activity | | | | As you have long suspected, a fit senior citizen (or |
| contributes to the deterioration. As we become more | | | | young whipper-snapper, for that matter will be better |
| uncertain of our ability to navigate and function or | | | | able to enjoy life at any age, be less prone to injury, |
| become more fearful of damage to ourselves, we | | | | and will probably simply last longer than the unimproved |
| tend to "hole up" within our homes, and, more sadly, | | | | model. |
| within ourselves. | | | | Yes, I do resistance exercises several times a week in |
| To digress for just a moment, as I am prone to do, I | | | | addition to regular aerobic activities, and that is why I |
| used to be the Business Manager for a county mental | | | | was able to come through both of those events I |
| health facility in Florida. I have always been interested in | | | | mentioned above, AND let my six-year-old |
| geriatrics as I felt, and seemed to be learning, that | | | | granddaughter crawl all over me and engage in |
| many people suffer affects of ageing to a much | | | | roughhouse play with her and the dog without any ill |
| greater degree than necessary and condemn | | | | affects. |