Joint Position Sense - Proprioception
August 16th 2006 09:17
Joint Position Sense, or proprioception (“one’s own perception”), is a 6th sense we all have that indicates the position of a part of the body relative to another part. Our five senses – sight, taste, hearing, touch and smell - advise us of the outside environment but the 6th sense, proprioception, provides the status of the body itself.
This sense was developed by the nervous system as a means to keep track of and control the different parts of the body. In people with joint position sense nerves destroyed, doing something as mundane as moving a finger requires a conscious effort and the use of vision to make sure your finger is doing what you want it to. Normal people are aware that their finger is moving and can say in what direction without even looking at it, thanks to Joint Position Sense.
The problems that some amputees face where they can still feel their removed limbs, as in Phantom Limb Pain, reinforces the idea of Joint Position Sense. When brain signals are sent to the missing limb and the brain receives no response from proprioception (i.e. it can’t find the limb) the brain registers a problem in the limb instead of no limb. When the brain recognises something wrong it reports a painful sensation to clarify this, and the person experiences a painful limb even though they know it is not there.
Image free to use
This sense was developed by the nervous system as a means to keep track of and control the different parts of the body. In people with joint position sense nerves destroyed, doing something as mundane as moving a finger requires a conscious effort and the use of vision to make sure your finger is doing what you want it to. Normal people are aware that their finger is moving and can say in what direction without even looking at it, thanks to Joint Position Sense.
If I bend my knee with my eyes closed will I know I am bending it? Yes. Proprioception allows you to.
The problems that some amputees face where they can still feel their removed limbs, as in Phantom Limb Pain, reinforces the idea of Joint Position Sense. When brain signals are sent to the missing limb and the brain receives no response from proprioception (i.e. it can’t find the limb) the brain registers a problem in the limb instead of no limb. When the brain recognises something wrong it reports a painful sensation to clarify this, and the person experiences a painful limb even though they know it is not there.
Image free to use
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Lovely legs ps
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And damn someone beat me to it, but still, nice legs! *whistles*
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