Conscious proprioception is relayed mostly by the dorsal column and in part by the spinocervical tract Finally, the organ of perception for position sense is the sensory cortex of the brain

The vestibular system, also known as our balance center, is responsible for receiving information regarding our bodies movement in space, as well as, acceleration and deceleration of movement Proprioception informs us of our body position in space

A general conclusion is that proprioceptive training can be very effective Active movement, balance exercises, somatosensory stimulation and somatosensory discrimination training all yielded mean improvement rates of over 30%

Proprioception and Balance Exercises Add pressure on the injured leg and slowly lift the uninjured, non-supporting foot slightly off the floor and lower to a squat position Hold this position and perform up and down one-leg squat motion of 10 to 15 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets

Strengthening the muscles around your ankles can help improve weak ankles and instability At-home treatments can usually relieve pain and swelling that can be brought on by weakness and many of the conditions that cause weak ankles

An athlete with a grade 1 or 2 ankle sprain may even be able to do three sets of 10 Single-Leg Bodyweight Squats on the healthy leg—or Isometric Squats (ie, staying in squat position on the non-injured leg for 30 to 60 seconds), holding firmly to a countertop or placing hands against a wall for support while holding

Believe it or not simply hopping from side to side will slowly start to increase ankle mobility Squat on your tiptoes: Stand straight with your feet flat on the ground and drop into a normal squat This will improve your balance and strengthen your ankles

“Walking lunges strengthen the lower body—especially the ankles, knees, and hips,” Luciani says “You’d be surprised at how much stability you need to do these well” Do ten lunges per leg

6 Proven Exercises for Building Strong Feet and Ankles

1. Toe pick-ups/curls Place several small objects, like marbles or Monopoly pieces, on the floor in front of you
2. Bent-knee wall stretch This exercise will stretch one of the deeper calf muscles that connect to the Achilles
3. Negative calf raises
4. Towel tug
5. Ankle pump up and down
6. Foot roll

cises to strengthen your hips, knees and ankles

1. 1 of 6 Side plank Start on your left side
2. 2 of 6 Single leg lunge Stand in front of a chair and place your left foot on it
3. 3 of 6 Single leg deadlift Stand on your left leg
4. 4 of 6 Single leg calf raise Stand on your right leg – feel free to touch a chair for balance
5. 5 of 6 Single leg bridge
6. 6 of 6 Side leg lift

The worst exercises for knee joints for people with bad knees include full-arc knee extension including using the machine at the gym, full-deep lunges, deep squats, and Hurdler’s stretches, because these exercises place excessive strain on the knee joints and can increase pain and cause injury

• Straight Leg Raises If your knee’s not at its best, start with a simple strengthening exercise for your quadriceps, the muscles in the front of the thigh
• Hamstring Curls These are the muscles along the back of your thigh
• Prone Straight Leg Raises
• Wall Squats
• Calf Raises
• Step-Ups
• Side Leg Raises
• Leg Presses

1 Walking Walking is a low-impact activity that doesn’t put too much stress on your knees and can help strengthen the muscles in that area

If left untreated, the joint, especially if it is a weight-bearing one, such as the knee, can eventually become so damaged that the person cannot walk Apart from immobility, the pain may slowly get worse All small articular cartilage defects can eventually progress to osteoarthritis if given enough time

Climbing and descending stairs is particularly difficult for people with knee arthritis Arthritis causes degeneration of the cartilage that cushions the knee joint Without protective cushioning, the act of climbing stairs becomes uncomfortable

Foods that Help Rebuild Cartilage

1. Legumes For optimal joint function, it is important to beat inflammation wherever possible—inflammation is the primary source of collagen and, by extension, cartilage breakdown
2. Oranges
3. Pomegranates
4. Green Tea
5. Brown Rice
6. Nuts
7. Brussel Sprouts

Injured cartilage typically does not heal on its own, so doctors have developed several surgical techniques that attempt to repair, regenerate, and replace cartilage These surgeries can be performed on almost any joint, but they are most commonly performed on knees

Glucosamine (G) to mg/d and chondroitin sulfate (Cs) 800 to mg/d and avocado-soy unsaponifiables (ASU) 300 to 600 mg/d, taken together or alone, are useful as adjunct therapies in cartilage disorders