Balance and Proprioception are Deeply Intertwined
Proprioception (your body's sense of position) provides the raw data (where you are) that your balance system uses (with input from eyes and inner ears) to make constant, tiny adjustments via your muscles to keep you steady and upright, preventing falls and allowing coordinated movement, with balance training effectively enhancing this internal GPS system. Essentially, better balance means better proprioception because the challenges of balancing force your proprioceptors to work harder and smarter, improving nerve signals and muscle response.
Proprioception (body position in space) and interoception (internal body states like hunger, fatigue) are deeply linked; proprioceptive input, like muscle effort, is a form of interoceptive information that helps us understand how hard we're working, influencing self-regulation and coordination. Your brain combines proprioceptive signals (joint position, muscle tension) with visceral signals (heartbeat, breath) to create a unified sense of embodiment, crucial for motor planning and emotional regulation.
Good proprioception (knowing your body's position) supports interoceptive awareness (feeling internal states), helping with self-regulation, focus, and managing sensory input.
"The ability to sense and regulate internal physiological state is at the base of competencies in higher order behavioral, psychological, and social processes... Interopception becomes the foundation of physical, psychological, and social development."
--The Polyvagal Theory by Stephen W. Porges
