Let’s face it, the majority of people walking on this earth have very little awareness of THEIR bodies. I literally have had clients burp in my face repeatedly while going over their questionnaires and seeing them mark NO to the question “frequent belching and burping.” This is called enteric amnesia. I have clients that don’t know if their head is straight on their body or if they are bearing all of their weight on the inside of their feet or the outside. Knowing where your body is in space and being able to control each segment of YOUR body is called proprioception and awareness. From my experience proprioception and awareness is rarely taught in the training or rehabilitation profession and is one of the key components to rehabilitation and the prevention of injuries.
Proprioception And Awareness
According to Dr. Guy Voyer awareness and proprioception are not the same thing. Proprioception is a reflex that is peripheral (outer) and awareness is a central sensation and they do not occur in the same place in the brain. Teaching proprioception and awareness can be as simple as giving client feedback during exercise to extremely detailed exercises that single out a specific ligament of the body, like I demonstrate in this edition of the H3 Happenings featured video. During Dr. Voyer’s Proprioception And Awareness Class, he showed us exercises for all the ligaments of the foot/ankle, knee, hip, S.I. joint, lumbar spine, thoracic spine, cervical spine, scapula, TMJ, shoulder, elbow and wrist. During the Soma Golf Series, Dr. Voyer will teach specific proprioception and awareness exercises for the lower extremity, trunk and upper extremity that will benefit the golfing athlete.
Why Proprioception And Awareness For Golf
Everyone needs proprioception and awareness exercises for safety factors. Not knowing where one places their foot or hand could be dangerous or even deadly. As stated above, teaching proprioception and awareness is one of the many keys to prevention and rehabilitation of injuries. To take it a step further these exercises can improve athletic performance, especially in the golfing athlete. Golf is a sport where finite, precise motor control is imperative for success. Proper proprioception and awareness exercises can give the golfing athlete the edge over the competition.
Want To Attend Soma Golf?
If you are interested in attending Soma Golf 1 in Fort Lauderdale, FL – November 20-22, 2015 there is still room. Soma Golf is for ALL rotatory athletes, not just golfers. To attend click this link to register – Soma Golf. To book a room at the fabulous host hotel, click this link to register – Marriott Harbor Beach Hotel. Please contact H3 at 954.566.0585 for questions or email us at info@hellmanholistichealth.com.
Better Body. Better Golf. Better Life.
Dan Hellman, MSPT
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