Impaired Proprioception
Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense action, location, and movement. It is considered as the body’s awareness sense. Proprioception is responsible for making a person aware of where his body parts are without looking at them. It also helps establish the relationship between each body part, strengthening a person’s coordination skills. Proprioception tells the body how and when to use a specific body part without thinking about it too much.
Unfortunately, diabetic sensory neuropathy can cause damage to the lower limb position sensation, affecting a person’s proprioception. It involves the brainstem and cerebellum, which are heavily involved in the body’s movements and proprioception. Damage to these crucial parts of the brain may interrupt the continuous loop of feedback or exchange of signals between sensory receptors.
A person with impaired proprioception may experience difficulty in moving freely. Some early signs of proprioception impairment are having trouble standing on one foot, frequent falls while sitting or walking, bumping into things, and difficulty walking in a straight line. Patients also report having trouble recognizing their strengths and having poor control of their posture.
