Proprioception
The body's internal sense of the position, movement and effort of its joints and limbs without relying on sight.
Definition
Proprioception is sometimes called the body's sixth sense: a continuous stream of information from receptors in muscles, tendons and joints that tells the brain where the body's parts are in space and how much force they are exerting. It lets an athlete touch a racket to a ball, land from a jump, or hold posture with the eyes closed.
Because it underpins coordination and balance, proprioception is a common focus of movement preparation and skill practice, for example single-leg tasks, unstable-surface work, or drills performed with reduced visual feedback. Sharper proprioception helps athletes control their joints through a full range and make fine adjustments mid-movement. It is described here for education only.
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Sports that use this term:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Football
The world’s most popular team sport — endless running, teamwork and community in one game.
Swimming
A full-body, low-impact endurance sport suitable for almost every age and ability.
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Movement patterns
- CatchReceiving a moving object and securing it under control, absorbing its momentum by yielding along its path so kinetic energy is dissipated rather than rebounded away.
- GlideGlide is continuous, low-resistance locomotion in which the body holds a streamlined shape so that momentum generated by a preceding propulsive action carries it smoothly across a surface or through a medium.
- ReachExtending a limb toward a distant point or object, often at full stretch, by projecting a distal segment beyond the body's resting envelope while a stabilised base preserves balance and control.
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- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
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- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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