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Proprioception, What is it good for?

Knowing where your body is in space is very important. How else would you know when to swing your racket at the ball? Or when to jump over the crack in the sidewalk, or dodge the tree branch while hiking in the woods? This sensory feedback about our body positioning is not only helpful for avoiding trouble, but it also helps charge our brain.

We have many different nerve endings in our body that give our brain information about the world around us such as temperature, taste, sight, sound, pressure, and touch to name a few. The brain, which is like a super computer, needs all the input so that it can make proper decisions about what to do with our functioning. We also have other nerve endings that bring problem or dysfunctional information to our brain. These are called nociceptors. They gather what we call the noxious stimuli of our environment and body and sent it to the brain. Some of these signals are for pain, inflammation and dysfunction. These are the yellow and red flag nerves telling our brain to pay attention to certain areas because there may be something awry.

So where does proprioception fit in? It is one of the “good guys”. Our muscles and joints are loaded with these receptors so our brain knows where we are and where we are going. It works in tandem with vision to help us know where our body is, yet it is not dependent on our sight. That is why we can still touch our nose, drink a glass of water or kick and throw a ball with our eyes closed. Can you imagine if we couldn’t walk with our eyes closed? One way to test how developed or underdeveloped this system is, is to stand on one leg with eyes open then close your eyes and see if your balance is worse or the same. The majority of us will experience a more difficult time with the eyes closed when vision input is not there to help.

The really interesting thing is that they have a secondary function that can charge the brain. Research has shown that these receptors can also charge our brain, giving it energy to function better. Have you noticed yourself or heard your friends say that they can think better after going for a run or a walk? I have experienced this myself. In fact in school they suggested studying after exercise because you brain is calmer and more apt to learning at that time. Dr. Roger Sperry, who won a Nobel Prize for his brain research has said: 90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by movement of the spine. This statement is revealing because the majority of the proprioceptors in our body are along the spinal joints and small supporting muscles of the vertebrae. Movement of the spine charging the brain is analogous to the a windmill creating energy from the movement of the wind.

So I mentioned proprioception as being the good guys, well it turns out that the pathways these nerves use to bring the signals to the brain share the same pathways of some of those nociceptors that bring pain and inflammation signals.

So depending on which sensation is more prevalent, that is what the brain has to use as input from the body. Have you ever smashed your finger? What do you do next? Shake it fast and furious like you are trying to win a prize for speed? When you are doing that you notice it does not hurt as much, and when you stop moving it the pain returns. The motion signals will compete and push aside the pain signals with all that movement happening. That is why it feels less painful when you are shaking it around.

So what is the take home message you ask? Stay active and keep moving. The more motion you have on a daily basis the better off you body and brain will be. Especially movement of the spine. If there is a fixation or subluxation of the vertebral joints, then less motion is happening and more inflammation is happening. By getting adjusted when needed, that will ensure you are getting more energy to your brain.

Many people have started the summer with health goals. That is always a great idea; your health should be a top priority. What most patients have asked me is “What is one FREE thing I can do to improve my health this summer?”  In a word; WATER. Did you know that water is one of the 6 nutrient categories, along with proteins, carbs, lipids, vitamins and minerals? Our bodies are made up of 70-75% water and it is used in every body function all the way down to our cells. In fact our brain is closer to 80% water and requires 2 cups a day to function properly. Our lungs use another 2 cups a day, so if you are drinking less than 4 cups/day you may already be in trouble.  When we do not have enough water on a daily basis all our systems start to suffer. According to the medical literature, dehydration is one of the major accelerators to chronic disease. Side effects of dehydration can include headaches, muscle soreness and muscle wasting, electrolyte imbalance, swelling, and even increased body fat percentage. If you are lacking in water, your blood will be thicker and will increase the incidence of high blood pressure, cholesterol and heart disease.

“I drink lots of fruit juice, soda and milk, so that should be enough right?” Your body can get some water from your food and what you drink, but other liquids contain substances (e.g.  caffeine, sugar, solutes) that actually cause water loss in the body to accelerate.  Caffeine is a diuretic which will cause you to eliminate water. Soft drinks contain sugars that have unwanted side effects. Since 1971 soda consumption has more than doubled in this country. Research shows that one soda a day for a year will cause 15 pounds of fat to be stored around your waist. One 20-oz soda contains 17 teaspoons of sugar and over 250 calories. This is one contributor to our nation’s obesity epidemic. Diet soda is not the answer though. Studies have shown that subjects actually gain more weight when drinking diet drinks and the neurologic side effects from Aspartame are the number one food related complaint to the FDA.

“So what should I do?” Most health professionals suggest a minimum of 64-oz of water a day, but sometimes that is not enough. A  better measurement is half your body weight in ounces per day. Take your weight, divide it in half and that is how much water you should be drinking a day. Not only will increasing water help your health, but it can help in weight loss also. One group lost an average of 12lbs over a 10 week period by replacing all beverages with water and nothing else. So raise your glass to a new health goal this month, as long as it is water.

Did you know that chiropractic adjustments and movement of the spine can affect brain function? After you have had an adjustment, especially a cervical or neck adjustment, do you ever notice any changes in your thinking or perception of the world? Many have said that they feel better, focus better and have improvement in movement and coordination. I have noticed that my vision becomes sharper and clearer after I get adjusted. Well now there is some research being done to show us why that is happening.

The project involved collaboration with researchers from Denmark, Canada and Australia. Published in the Journal of Neural Plasticity, this study looked at how spinal adjustments where able to change and influence brain function. More specifically this study indicates that adjustments impact the function of the prefrontal cortex. This change in brain function was noted to be almost 20% on average.

One of the authors, Dr. Haavik is particularly excited about what this implies: “The latest study suggests that the changes that we do see in the brain when we adjust the spine do occur in the prefrontal cortex. That part of the brain is like the conductor in the brain.”  This shows us that every time we’re adjusting someone, we’re having a big, positive effect on the brain. And a brain that’s functioning differently and conducting its activities better is sure to have an effect on the body.

That is very exciting what the research suggests, that adjusting improves prefrontal cortex activity, a part of the brain that is responsible for just so much higher level function, things like behavior, decision making, memory and attention, intelligence, processing of pain and emotional response to it, autonomic function, motor control, eye movements and spatial awareness.

Haavik goes on to say, “An effect on the function of the prefrontal cortex could explain many previous research results, such as improvements in sensorimotor function relevant to falls-prevention; better joint-position sense in both the upper limb and the lower limb; improved muscle strength in lower limb muscles; better pelvic floor control; and better ability to carry out mental rotation of objects. Being able to accurately perceive the world around you is a vital skill we need all day every day. To recognize some objects you may need to mentally rotate them. For example to recognize the letter p versus b if they were not upright you would need to rotate them in your mind to figure out which letter it was. We all do mentally rotate shapes and objects we see, but we may not often think about that we do it, or how important this is in our daily life.”

So in addition to what many patients report as feeling better and having more range of motion in their spine and joints after an adjustment, we now see they are also getting a 20% boost in brain function. Don’t you think that would be great advantage for the kids in school, before a big test, help to focus on classwork, or for the adults that need to do projects for work or carry out a great presentation?

This is not the first research to show that spinal movement helps and influences the brain. Dr. Roger Sperry, neurobiologist and Nobel Laureate in Medicine and Nobel Prize recipient for brain research stated “90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine.” He went on to compare that the movement of the spine will charge the batteries of the brain in a similar way that wind can generate electricity from moving a windmill.

Who wouldn’t want to get a boost of 20% increase brain function and keep the brains batteries charged? By keeping the spine moving and free from subluxation or joint dysfunction, we can not only keep our body in better health but our brain as well.

As we get ready for the New Year, our focus turns to goals and resolutions. These historically do not last, but what has a longer impression is making healthy choices each day. I was on a teleconference recently with a group of ladies that were making changes in their lives. They were choosing to become healthier through increased exercise, better eating and focusing on personal values. I was the guest speaker answering questions about nutrition and health. One thing I realized by the end of the call was the impact our choices have on our everyday lives. This is not new to us, but it is good to be reminded of the basics now and again. Small changes through simple choices can have big impact over time. Many times we found ourselves discussing the concept of good, better, best. Through the lens of healthy choices I would like to expound upon this.

One of the questions they asked me was “what is the one thing that I should be eating for a healthy diet?” The more we discussed this idea, the more apparent it became that there is no “one thing” or magic bullet that we can do for perfect health. Despite what many websites and infomercials will have you believe, there is no magic fruit or vegetable that will turn us all into centurions. That being said, we do have many options that can move the needle toward health and away from dysfunction and disease.

In the realm of food, I discussed with them the slogan that has gained popularity over the last few years, J.E.R.F., which stands for Just Eat Real Food. Looking at this with the perspective of good, better, best, there are many companies that have tried to make healthy versions of their not so healthy foods. For example, frozen dinners can be macaroni and cheese or broccoli and rice. One of these would be better than the other, but the reality is they are both processed and void of nutrients that we need. Something better would be frozen vegetables that you could cook yourself and pasta to make your own cheesy casserole. While best may be fresh vegetables with a whole grain pasta and organic cheese. On that same note you have to be wary of some of the health claims on packages. Just because it says “all natural” doesn’t always mean it is healthy. Remember sugar is all natural, but in large quantities is not good for us.

For many Americans, the simple act of adding a vegetable a day is a good choice. It is sad how poor many diets are today. So a better choice would be to add vegetables to each meal while best is to make each meal 50% vegetables. To do that you could eat canned vegetables, better would be frozen and best are fresh vegetables. Getting your vegetables from the supermarket is a good idea, buying organic would be a better choice while going to the farmers market to get organic local vegetables would be best.

Good, better, best can also be applied in our daily activity and exercise. Something as simple as parking on the far side of the parking lot can have an impact. That would be a better thing to do. Riding your bike or walking to the store could be the best but may not always be an option so you have to do what you can with each situation. Taking the stairs is another example. The quote that comes to mind is, “no matter how slow you are going on the track or treadmill you are lapping the one on the couch.” While most of us are not getting up early and hitting the gym 5-6 days a week for an hour, our daily better choices can lead to better health outcomes.

With so many choices it can be daunting to do the right thing every time. I urge you to not get discouraged or compare yourself to other people. Health is a process, not an event. It takes time to get to where we want to go. Look at your health goals and make a plan to get to where you want to be. If you make a bad choice one day, there is always tomorrow to make a better or best choice. I tell my patients to live by the 90-10 rule. If you are making good food and activity choices that will increase your health 90% of the time, then you can afford to go off the grid and enjoy some not so healthy choices 10% of the time. We can’t all make “best” choices all the time, but if we are on the good, better, best side of the equation and not on the bad, worse or worst side of the equation, I believe we can continue to move toward our health goals and not away from them.