Understanding proprioception
Proprioception is often called the body’s sixth sense — the internal awareness of where your limbs and joints are positioned in space. It’s what allows you to walk without looking at your feet, reach for a glass without knocking it over, or maintain balance with your eyes closed. This crucial sense depends on accurate information from the spine, muscles, and joints feeding into the brain. When spinal motion becomes restricted, this feedback can be distorted, leading to stiffness, clumsiness, or even pain.
What the research explored
Dr Heidi Haavik and colleagues investigated how chiropractic adjustments influence proprioceptive processing using joint position sense testing, SEPs (somatosensory evoked potentials), and EEG mapping. Their studies aimed to determine whether restoring normal spinal motion could recalibrate the brain’s internal map of the body — a process known as sensorimotor integration.
Key findings
- Chiropractic adjustments altered sensory processing in the brain’s somatosensory cortex, improving the accuracy of body-position awareness.
- Participants demonstrated improved joint position sense (JPS) and reduced repositioning errors following adjustments.
- Changes occurred rapidly — often within minutes — and were associated with reduced muscular tension and improved balance responses.
- These findings suggest that spinal care helps “re-tune” how the brain perceives movement and posture.
Clinical implications
Optimised proprioception means better coordination, stability, and reduced injury risk. Whether you’re an athlete fine-tuning your performance or someone seeking better posture and balance, enhancing this feedback loop can improve everyday movement efficiency.
In practice
- We assess proprioception through balance testing, joint movement tracking, and coordination checks.
- Adjustments are performed to improve spinal segment motion and refine sensory feedback to the brain.
- Patients often describe feeling “lighter,” “freer,” or “more in control” of their body after care — sensations consistent with improved proprioceptive awareness.
Read the study: Proprioceptive Function Changes Following Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation: A Controlled Study
This research summary is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional diagnosis or medical advice. Chiropractic care focuses on improving functional movement and nervous system communication.
