Proprioception and Kinesthesia With Explorations

Proprioception and Kinesthesia with Explorations
Proprioception is the sense of position – the orientation of the different parts of the body in relation to
each other, gravity, and space.
Kinesthesia is the sense of dynamic proprioception, as the parts of the body continuously calibrate their
relationships in the process of moving through space and time.
Proprioception and kinesthesia are informed by all the sense organs in the body, including the:
• Somatic sense organs in the bones, joints, fascia, ligaments, tendons, and skeletal muscles
registering proprioception and kinesthesia
• Special sense organs in the mouth, nose, ears, and eyes
• Skin sensory receptors registering touch, pressure, and vibration
• Visceral sense organs in the organs, glands, and vessels registering interoception
• Free nerve endings located everywhere in the body, especially in the fascia and skin
Proprioceptors in the Muscles and Tendons
Muscle Spindles and Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO) Capsules
Two of the major types of proprioceptors are muscle spindles located in the fascia encompassing muscle
bellies and Golgi tendon organs (GTO) located in the fascia encompassing tendons.
Muscles are composed of one or more muscle bellies, one or more tendons, and the fascial matrix in
which they are wrapped, differentiated, and unified.
A muscle belly contains extrafusal muscle fibers surrounded by the perimysium, the encompassing
fascia. Contraction of the extrafusal muscle fibers provides the external force that moves the bones. The
fascia spreads the force through the whole body.
Interspersed within the perimysium that both separates and weaves together the extrafusal muscle fibers
lie small muscle spindles. Muscle spindles are the proprioceptors, the sensory receptors in the muscle
belly. Microscopic contractile intrafusal muscle fibers are located inside the muscle spindles.
Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

Proprioception and Kinesthesia with Explorations 2
Intrafusal Muscle Fibers in the Muscle Spindle
Muscle spindles are spindle-shaped and contain 3-12 microscopic intrafusal muscle fibers. There are
two types of intrafusal muscle fibers: nuclear bags and nuclear chains. Both types are composed of a
central area called the equatorial region that contains the sensory nuclei, and two polar ends that consist
of contractile muscle fibers.
The nuclear bag intrafusal muscle fibers are larger and have more direct and immediate monosynaptic
neurological connections to the extrafusal muscle fibers.
My experience through embodying the nuclear bag intrafusal muscle fibers is that they play a major role
in providing feedback and guidance to the extrafusal muscle fibers engaged in activities requiring
stronger, faster, and more sustained patterns of movement – movement requiring immediacy, strength,
and endurance. Thus, they provide the basic foundational ground of primary tone and muscular activity.
The nuclear chain intrafusal muscle fibers are smaller than the nuclear bags and there are almost twice as
many of them. The nuclear chain neurological connections to the extrafusal muscle fibers involve more
multisynaptic pathways.
My experience though embodying the nuclear chains is that they play a major role in proving feedback
and guidance to the extrafusal muscle fibers engaged in activities requiring finer articulation, rhythmic
timing, and lightness. Thus, they provide subtle modulation of primary tone and muscular activity.

Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO)
Tendons are composed of fibers of collagen (the main component of all connective tissue) that run
longitudinally in the tendons. Some of the tendon fibers pass through GTO capsules, while other tendon
fibers bypass the GTO capsules.
Golgi tendon organs are proprioceptors located in capsules embedded in the fascia of tendons near their
musculotendinous junction with the muscle belly. They are composed of spiralling strands of collagen
with tree-like sensory endings. They spiral and elongate outward and rebound and condense inward. A
helpful image for me is of a spiralling “slinky” toy.
A bundle of 10-20 extrafusal muscle fibers enters a GTO capsule where they connect along a single path
with a bundle of tendon fibers. As the tendon fibers emerge out from the other end of the capsule, they
blend with the tendon fibers that did not pass through the GTO capsule.
The intrafusal muscle fibers interspersed within the fascia surrounding the extrafusal muscle fibers also
enter the GTO capsule and connect to the GTO tendons fibers. This direct communication between
intrafusal muscle fibers and GTO allows precise coordination between the muscle bellies and tendons.
Fascial sheaths connect the GTO tendon fibers longitudinally with both the extrafusal and intrafusal
muscle fibers, whereas the extrafusal and intrafusal muscle fibers run parallel to each other.
My experience through embodying the GTO is that they calibrate the degree of tenson required in both
rest and movement and direct the muscular line of force in concert with the proprioceptors in the bones,
joints, ligaments, and fascia.
I recommend that you look on the internet to see the traditional information about the muscle spindles and
GTO.

ROLE OF PROPRIOCEPTORS
Embryologically, the bones, ligaments, tendons, and local fascia of the limbs arise peripherally in the
local area of the developing limb. When the architectural structure of a limb is basically formed, the
muscles and nerves that arise in the central area of the embryo, migrate together into the limbs to provide
movement. They provide the movement, not the structure or alignment.
Ligaments are specialized fascia that connect the bones and maintain the alignment of the bones.
Proprioceptors are located in the ligaments, bones, joints, and fascia to monitor position of the bones and
joint angles in their relationship to each other in stillness and motion.
Tendons designate the endpoints for the migrating muscles accompanied by their nerves and guided by
fascia.
Golgi tendon organs (GTO) arise in the transitional bridge between the local tendon fibers and the
migrating muscles and nerves. They calibrate the degree of tone and tension (force) needed in the muscle-
tendon complex in rest and in movement and direct the muscular line of force.
Extrafusal muscle fibers exert the force that moves the bones and maintains a stable posture.
Intrafusal muscle fibers interact with the GTO and monitor the activity of the extrafusal muscle fibers.
The traditional research in the science of movement has approached the role of the intrafusal muscle
fibers in the muscle spindles and the GTO in the tendon capsules largely through surgical manipulation of
animals, neurological disfunction, developmental challenges, and fitness stretching and resistive
exercises. I am deeply grateful for all they have offered me since I began this study more than 60 years
ago (1958). There is much information concerning theses aspects for you to read in the literature and to
see on the internet.
What I want to share with you here are my questions and discoveries of the role of these proprioceptors
by researching them through the practice of embodiment. In this practice, we engage the specific tissues
directly through consciousness of the local cells of their own existence. They then inform our brain of
their activity.
The role of the proprioceptors in the bones, joins, ligaments, and fascia is to monitor our alignment – the
continuity and balance in our skeletal architecture.
The role of the proprioceptors in the muscles and tendons is to monitor the degree of tone, of tension, of
force required to maintain our posture and to move against resistance, including the earth’s gravitational
field and the magnetic pull of universal space. They coordinate the movement of our bones with the
proprioceptors of structure and alignment located in our bones, joints, ligaments, and fascia.
This entails the ability of the muscle-tendon complex to:
• Sustain a continuous underlying foundation of primary tone activity

• Maintain a steady posture
• Change length by condensing (concentric contraction) and by expanding (eccentric contraction)
• Calibrate the force needed to move against a given resistance
• Produce the force needed to move against the given resistance
• Meet the local force required by spreading it throughout the body through the fascial matrix
• Coordinate with the spatial aspects of the proprioceptors in the bones, joints, ligaments, and
fascia

• Interface with the sense organs of the skin through touch, pressure, and vibration
• Communicate with the special senses of the mouth, nose, ears, and eyes
• Interact with the sensory receptors of the organs, glands, vessels, and the nervous system itself
through the interoceptors
• Engage the emotional, creative, functional, expressive, and cognitive nature of the activity in
relation to self and other in the present situation and moment
Following are a few explorations based on embodying the proprioceptors.
If you are not familiar with the embodiment process, the following steps may be helpful for you. It is a
practice in discovering another way of knowing from our traditional educational approach. It also requires
an openness to the idea that this level of awareness is possible, curiosity to explore the unknown, patience
in not knowing, perseverance in practice, and joy in discovery.
The Embodiment Process

Begin by resting in a comfortable posture lying, sitting, or standing depending upon your situation and
what you are embodying.
Visualization
Initially look at the accompanying illustrations and see where those structures are in your body. Then
close your eyes and transfer the image from the frontal lobes of your brain to the specific areas in your
body. Let your brain guide and inform those areas that they exist. Rest and breathe easily into the area.
Somatization
As you relax and breathe easily into an area, release your focus from the front of you brain by opening the
back of your brain (low hindbrain) to receive information coming from the local sensory receptors. The
local sensory receptors may be known receptors or they may radiate from the cells themselves. In this
way, your local tissue informs your brain that your local tissue exists. This allows the frontal lobes of
your brain to let go of directing and to witness the processes occurring in your local tissues.
Embodiment
Once you have opened the pathways from the brain to the local tissue and from the local tissue to your
brain, let go of tracking the process and allow what occurs to reveal itself. This is another knowing.

Exploration of the Extrafusal Muscle Fibers and Tendon Collagen Fibers
1. Place one hand (palm down) and forearm on a supporting surface. Rest and breathe easily.
2. While your hand remains on the supporting surface, internally initiate the intention to lift your
hand (but don’t lift it) and then release it back down. This is the subtle preparatory stage of
moving that occurs within the body, before the bones move through space.
3. Now place your other hand on the muscle bellies (extrafusal muscle fibers) on the topside of the
upper end of your forearm (wrist and finger extensors). Breathe easily into the muscle bellies
until you feel the muscle bellies alternately, expanding and condensing with your breath.
• What was your experience?
4. Explore alternately initiating the intention to lift (but don’t lift) your hand and to release it back
down from your breathing extrafusal muscle fibers. Vary lifting and lowering in different
relationships with the inhaling and exhaling rhythm in your muscle bellies.
• What was your experience? Was it the same or different from that of your original
exploration? If so, how were they different?
5. Now place your hand on the tendons (tendon collagen fibers) on top of your wrist. Breathe easily
into the tendons until you feel the tendons alternately expanding and condensing with your
breath.
down from your breathing tendon fibers. Vary the lifting and lowering in different relationships
with the inhaling and exhaling rhythm in your tendons.
• What was your experience? Was it the same or different from that of your previous
explorations? If so, how were they different?

7. Now place your hand on the muscle bellies (extrafusal muscle fibers) on the underside of the
upper end of your forearm (wrist and finger flexors). Breathe easily into the muscle bellies until
you feel the muscle bellies alternately expanding and condensing with your breath.
down from your breathing extrafusal muscle fibers. Vary the lifting and lowering in different
relationships with the inhaling and exhaling rhythm of your muscle bellies.
9. Now place your hand on the tendons (tendon collagen fibers) on the underside of your wrist.
Breathe easily into the tendons until you feel the tendons alternately expanding and condensing
with your breath.
10. Explore, alternatively initiating the intention to lift (but don’t lift) your hand and to release it back
down from your breathing tendon fibers.
11. Let go of directing and/or witnessing your movement and move freely with your whole body.
Allow the innate knowing in your tissues to emerge in authentic expression. Enjoy!
12. Share your experience, insights, and questions with others.

Exploration of the Intrafusal Muscle Fibers and Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO)
1. After you have experienced and differentiated the initiation of movement from your extrafusal
muscle fibers and tendon collagen fibers, you can finetune the initiation by embodying the
proprioceptors, the microscopic intrafusal muscle fibers in the muscle spindles and the GTO in
the GTO capsules. This requires a deeper and more concentrated consciousness emerging from
the local tissues and an opening to more spaciousness in the back of your brain.
2. As with the previous explorations of the extrafusal muscle fibers and the tendon collagen fibers,
place one hand (palm down) and forearm on a supporting surface. Place your other hand on the
muscle bellies on the top side of the upper end of your forearm (wrist and finger extensors).
Breathe easily into the muscle bellies until you feel the muscle bellies alternately expanding and
condensing with your breath.
3. Then open your awareness from the back of your brain to the space between the extrafusal muscle
fibers to receive information from the intrafusal muscle fibers in the muscle spindles. A lot of
excessive muscle tension is caused by fascial gluing of the extrafusal muscle fibers together.
Because the muscle spindles are located in the fascia (as are all the sensory receptors in the body)
between the extrafusal muscle fibers, their registering of location in space is carried throughout
the body. They designate a specific place in the body from which other sensory receptors can
calibrate their own location and relationships. The intrafusal muscle fibers in the spindles also
modulate the amount of condensing (in a concentric contraction) and expanding (in an eccentric
contraction) needed in the extrafusal muscle fibers for any given movement or resting primary
tone.
4. Explore alternating initiating the intention to lift (but don’t lift) your hand and to lower it back
down from the space between the extrafusal fibers (muscle spindles). Vary the lifting and
lowering in different relationships with the inhaling and exhaling in your muscle spindles.

5. Now place your hand over the group of tendons on top of your wrist. Breathe easily into the
tendons until you feel the tendons alternately expanding and condensing with your breath.
6. Then open your awareness from the back of your brain to the space (GTO) between the tendon
collagen fibers. As with the extrafusal muscle fibers, a lot of excessive tension in the tendons is
due to fascial gluing of the tendon fibers together. Space is also needed in the GTO capsules in
order for the fibers to spiral through the capsule.
• What was your experience? Did you feel a response in your tendons? Did you feel a
response in other areas of your body?
down from the space between your tendon fibers (tendon cpasules). Vary the lifting and lowering
in different relationships with the inhaling and exhaling rhythm of your GTO capsules.
8. Now place your hand under the muscle bellies (intrafusal muscle fibers in the muscle spindles) on
the underside of your forearm. Breathe easily into the muscle bellies until you feel them
alternately expanding and condensing with your breath.
9. Open your awareness from the back of your brain to the space between the extrafusal muscle
fibers to receive information from your intrafusal muscle fibers in the muscle spindles.
• What was your experience? Did you feel a response in your muscles? Did you feel a
down from the muscle spindles on the underside of your forearm. Vary the lifting and lowering in
different relationships with the inhaling and exhaling rhythm of your muscle spindles.
11. Now place your hand under the tendons (GTO in the GTO capsule) on the underside of your
wrist. Breathe easily into the tendons until you feel the tendons alternately expanding and
condensing with your breath.
12. Open your awareness from the back of your brain to the space between the tendon collagen fibers
to receive information from the GTO.
• What was your experience? Did you feel a response in your tendons? Did you feel a

down from the GTO capsules under your wrist. Vary the lifting and lowering in different
relationships with the inhaling and exhaling rhythm of your GTO capsules.
14. Change arms.

• What was your experience? Were your arms the same or different? If so, how were they
different?
15. Now move freely without directing your awareness or movement. Enjoy!
• After you have explored initiating movement from your intrafusal muscle fibers and GTO
of your wrists, explore the same process in other areas of your body.
16. Share your experience, insights, and questions with others.

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Proprioception and Kinesthesia with Explorations

Proprioceptors in the Muscles and Tendons

Muscle Spindles and Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO) Capsules

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

Intrafusal Muscle Fibers in the Muscle Spindle

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO)

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

• Sustain a continuous underlying foundation of primary tone activity

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

The Embodiment Process

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

Exploration of the Extrafusal Muscle Fibers and Tendon Collagen Fibers

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

12. Share your experience, insights, and questions with others.

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

14. Change arms.

16. Share your experience, insights, and questions with others.

Copyright © 2022 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

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