What is Proprioception in Adults? Meaning, Examples and Support

Some people calm down by talking. Some calm down by thinking. You press your feet firmly into the floor during a difficult meeting. You carry several shopping bags at once. You tense and release your muscles, lean against a wall or wrap yourself tightly in a blanket.

These actions can create strong information about where your body is, how much force it is producing and how it is interacting with the environment.

That information is called proprioceptive input.

Some adults actively seek this kind of input because resistance, pressure or muscle engagement helps them feel more physically present. Others find it energising, uncomfortable or largely neutral. The same activity can settle one person and overstimulate another.

Proprioceptive input is often discussed as though it automatically calms the nervous system. The reality is more individual. Proprioception is essential for movement, force control and body position. Certain proprioceptive or deep-pressure activities may also support regulation for some people, but adult-specific evidence remains limited.

This article explains what proprioceptive input actually is, how it differs from touch and vestibular input, what proprioceptive differences can look like in adult life, and how autism, ADHD and AuDHD may fit into the picture. It also provides practical ways to experiment safely without treating every sensory preference as a medical problem.

🧍 What Is Proprioception?

Proprioception is the sense that helps your brain know:

📍 where different body parts are
🔀 whether they are moving
↔️ in which direction they are moving
💪 how much force your muscles are producing
🦴 how your joints are positioned
⚖️ how your body is supporting its weight

You use proprioception when you:

👃 touch your nose without looking
⌨️ type while watching the screen
🚶 walk without staring continuously at your feet
🥤 lift a cup with enough force to hold it but not crush it
🪑 adjust your posture when a chair shifts
🧳 estimate how strongly to lift a heavy bag
🚪 move through a doorway without measuring your body visually

Proprioception is not produced by one single organ. Your nervous system combines information from receptors in muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and skin with visual and vestibular information. The brain continually uses this information to guide posture and movement.

This process is largely automatic. You normally do not need to calculate the position of each joint before taking a step.

💪 What Is Proprioceptive Input?

Proprioceptive input is the stream of information created when muscles contract or stretch and when joints change position or bear force.

You receive it throughout ordinary life.

Examples include:

🚶 walking
🪜 climbing stairs
🪑 standing up from a chair
🛍️ carrying shopping
🧹 sweeping or vacuuming
✍️ writing
🍞 kneading dough
🏋️ lifting an object
🧘 holding a body position
🤲 squeezing or pulling something
🦷 biting and chewing

The input becomes stronger or more noticeable when an activity involves:

💪 greater muscle effort
🧱 resistance
⚖️ weight bearing
🤲 sustained gripping
↔️ pushing or pulling
🧘 holding tension without much movement
🔄 repeated controlled movement

Occupational therapists sometimes call resistance-based activities heavy work.

Heavy work is a practical therapy term rather than a separate biological system. It usually describes activities that require significant muscle engagement, pushing, pulling, lifting or weight bearing.

An activity does not need to involve extremely heavy weight to create useful proprioceptive feedback. Pressing your palms together or pushing your feet into the ground also contracts muscles and creates information about force and position.

🧠 How Proprioception Supports Movement

Proprioceptive information helps the nervous system make rapid adjustments.

For example, when you pick up a suitcase:

👀 vision helps locate it
🤲 touch detects the handle
💪 proprioception helps estimate and adapt the required force
⚖️ the vestibular system contributes to balance
🧠 the brain combines the information and adjusts your posture

If the suitcase is unexpectedly light, your arm may initially move too quickly. Your nervous system then corrects the movement.

Proprioception contributes to:

🧍 posture
⚖️ balance
🎯 movement accuracy
📝 fine-motor control
🏃 coordination
🤲 grip force
🧩 motor learning
🗺️ awareness of physical boundaries

Balance does not depend on proprioception alone. Vision, the vestibular system, strength, joint stability, attention and neurological functioning also contribute.

This is why bumping into furniture or feeling unsteady cannot automatically be labelled a proprioceptive problem.

🫂 Is Deep Pressure the Same as Proprioceptive Input?

No, although they often occur together.

Deep pressure is primarily strong tactile input: pressure detected through the skin and deeper tissues.

Examples include:

🫂 a firm hug
🛏️ a weighted blanket
🧥 compression clothing
🧸 holding a pillow against the body
💆 firm massage
🪑 sitting between supportive cushions

Proprioceptive input comes primarily from information about muscle contraction, joint position, movement and force.

Examples include:

🧱 pushing against a wall
🏋️ lifting a weight
🪜 climbing stairs
🧘 holding a plank
🤲 pulling resistance bands
🛍️ carrying shopping

Some activities provide both.

For example:

🛏️ a weighted blanket creates deep tactile pressure and may also change joint and muscle feedback
🫂 a firm hug creates pressure, while actively hugging back adds muscle engagement
🏋️ lying under a weighted object adds pressure, while lifting it adds proprioceptive effort
🧥 compression clothing mainly creates tactile pressure rather than substantial muscle resistance

This distinction matters because someone who enjoys pressure may not enjoy lifting or resistance. Someone who needs active muscle engagement may find a weighted blanket ineffective or restrictive.

🌀 Proprioception Versus the Vestibular System

Proprioception and vestibular processing work together, but they provide different information.

Proprioception provides information about:

💪 muscle effort
🦴 joint position
↔️ body-part movement
⚖️ force and load

The vestibular system provides information about:

🧭 head position
⬆️ acceleration
🔄 rotation
⚖️ balance in relation to gravity
🚶 movement through space

A slow wall push is mainly proprioceptive.

Spinning in a chair is mainly vestibular.

Walking, climbing or dancing involve both.

This difference can explain why someone may enjoy pushing, carrying or squeezing while strongly disliking swings, spinning or unstable surfaces.

Read more about vestibular sensitivity in neurodivergent adults.

🫀 Proprioception Versus Interoception

Proprioception tells you about body position, movement and force.

Interoception helps you notice and interpret internal physical states such as:

🍽️ hunger
💧 thirst
💓 heartbeat
🌡️ temperature
🚻 bladder signals
🤕 pain
😴 fatigue
😟 physiological arousal

The systems can interact.

For example, you may feel strong muscle tension through proprioception but need interoceptive interpretation to recognise that the tension is connected to stress, cold, pain or fatigue.

The broader guide to proprioception and interoception in ADHD and autism explains how both body-sensing systems can affect daily life.

🧩 What Proprioceptive Differences Can Look Like in Adults

There is no single recognised adult “proprioceptive profile.”

Different difficulties can occur at different stages:

📡 detecting sensory information
🧠 interpreting it
⚙️ combining it with vision and balance
🗺️ using it to plan movement
💪 producing the required muscular response

Possible experiences include:

🚪 frequently clipping doorframes
🪑 misjudging where a chair is
🤲 gripping objects harder than necessary
🥤 dropping or crushing objects
📝 pressing extremely hard while writing
🗣️ using more or less vocal force than intended
🧍 relying heavily on vision to monitor movement
⚖️ feeling less stable with the eyes closed
👕 struggling to position clothing without looking
🏃 needing extra practice to learn unfamiliar movements
🧱 leaning against walls or furniture
🤕 not recognising muscle strain until pain develops

These experiences are not specific to autism, ADHD or sensory processing.

They may also relate to:

👓 vision differences
👂 vestibular conditions
🦴 joint instability
💪 muscle weakness
🧠 developmental coordination disorder
🤕 injury
🦶 peripheral neuropathy
💊 medication effects
😴 fatigue
🍷 alcohol use
🧬 neurological or connective-tissue conditions

One behaviour by itself does not establish the cause.

📡 Low Registration, Discrimination and Sensory Seeking

Several different patterns are often grouped under “poor proprioception.”

🔈 Low Registration

Proprioceptive information may not become consciously noticeable until it is strong.

The person may prefer:

🏋️ greater resistance
🫂 firm rather than light pressure
🥨 crunchy or chewy food
🧱 leaning heavily against surfaces
🛍️ carrying several objects
💪 tightly tensing muscles

This does not necessarily mean the receptors are damaged. Attention, sensory thresholds and the way information becomes consciously noticeable can all contribute.

🎯 Proprioceptive Discrimination Difficulty

The person receives information but has difficulty interpreting its exact meaning.

This may affect:

↔️ movement direction
📍 joint position
💪 force grading
📏 movement distance
🤲 pressure control

Examples include pouring too forcefully, slamming a door unintentionally or applying too much pressure with a pen.

🔄 Sensory Seeking

A person may actively repeat movements or seek pressure because the experience is:

😌 comfortable
⚡ energising
🧠 focusing
🎵 rhythmic
🧍 physically clarifying
😄 enjoyable

Sensory seeking is not automatically a deficit. It may be a preference, a self-regulation strategy or a way of maintaining attention.

The article Sensory Seeking vs Sensory Avoidance explains why someone can seek one kind of input while avoiding another.

🧩 Motor Planning Difficulty

The person may sense body position reasonably well but struggle to plan and sequence unfamiliar actions.

This can look like:

🧥 difficulty learning how to put on unfamiliar clothing
🏋️ uncertainty about gym equipment
💃 difficulty copying movement sequences
🛠️ awkwardness with new tools
🚗 difficulty coordinating several actions at once

Motor planning difficulty is not identical to a proprioceptive deficit, although sensory information contributes to motor planning.

The broader article on sensory processing disorder in adults explains proprioceptive discrimination, posture and dyspraxia in more detail.

🧱 Why Do Some Adults Lean, Press or Squeeze?

You may notice that you naturally:

🧱 lean against walls
🪑 hook your feet around chair legs
🤲 press your hands together
🦵 sit on one leg
🧥 choose tight clothing
🛏️ sleep under several blankets
🛍️ prefer carrying weight
🦷 chew gum
🖊️ grip a pen firmly
💪 tense and release muscles

These behaviours may increase proprioceptive or tactile feedback.

Possible reasons include:

🧍 making body position more noticeable
⚡ maintaining alertness
🎯 supporting concentration
😌 enjoying the sensation
🔄 creating predictable repetitive input
🪑 increasing postural stability
🌪️ competing with distracting environmental input
🎭 regulating discreetly in social settings

It is difficult to infer the function from appearance alone.

Leaning may provide sensory input, but it can also reduce muscular effort because sitting upright is tiring. Chewing may support alertness, relieve dry mouth, reduce anxiety or simply be enjoyable.

The most accurate question is:

What changes before, during and after the behaviour?

♾️ Autism and Proprioception

Sensory differences are part of the recognised autism profile. Autistic people may experience hyperreactivity, hyporeactivity or strong interest in sensory input. NHS England describes sensory sensitivity, low responsiveness and sensory seeking as relevant autistic sensory patterns.

Studies have also reported differences in movement, posture and motor control among autistic people. However, research specifically isolating proprioception is smaller, and much of it involves children rather than adults. One child study linked observed proprioceptive difficulties with motor planning, posture and behaviour, but those findings cannot establish a universal adult autistic profile.

Autistic adults may describe:

🧍 feeling uncertain about body position
💪 seeking resistance or pressure
🚪 bumping into objects
🧱 leaning for stability
🤲 difficulty grading force
🎯 needing to watch movements consciously
🔄 using repetitive movement for regulation
🫂 preferring firm pressure over light touch

Not every autistic person experiences these patterns.

Some autistic adults have excellent body awareness, highly developed movement skills or no meaningful proprioceptive difficulties.

Autism does not provide enough information to predict which activities will feel helpful.

⚡ ADHD and Proprioceptive Input

Sensory processing differences are also common in ADHD.

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis covering more than 5,000 participants found higher sensory sensitivity, avoidance, seeking and low registration among people with ADHD than among comparison groups. The included evidence concerned broad sensory patterns rather than proving a specific universal proprioceptive deficit.

ADHD-related patterns that may affect proprioceptive experiences include:

🎯 attention shifting away from body information
⚡ movement helping maintain alertness
🧠 working-memory demands affecting movement sequences
🚀 acting before force or distance is fully judged
🪑 restlessness making static posture uncomfortable
🔄 repetitive movement supporting concentration
🌪️ overload reducing coordination
😴 fatigue making body awareness less reliable

An adult with ADHD may enjoy resistance or movement because it increases stimulation. Another may become distracted or physically restless when the input is too weak. A third may dislike exercise, pressure or muscle tension entirely.

Proprioceptive activities can be optional supports. They are not treatments for the core ADHD condition.

🔀 Proprioception and AuDHD

Someone with both autism and ADHD may seek strong, controllable physical input while avoiding unpredictable external stimulation.

For example:

💪 lifting feels clarifying
🚶 repetitive walking feels steady
🫂 firm pressure feels comfortable
🎠 spinning feels nauseating
👥 contact from other people feels unpredictable
🔊 a busy gym causes overload

This is not contradictory.

The nervous system may tolerate self-generated, predictable input better than input imposed externally.

The article The AuDHD Sensory Paradox explores how sensory seeking and sensory sensitivity can coexist.

🎯 Can Proprioceptive Input Support Regulation?

Some people report feeling:

😌 calmer
🧍 more present in their body
🎯 better able to focus
⚡ more alert
🌿 less restless
🧠 clearer after movement
🌙 more prepared to settle

However, proprioceptive input does not have one predictable emotional effect.

It may feel:

🌿 settling
⚡ activating
😐 neutral
😣 uncomfortable
🔥 overstimulating
🤕 painful

The effect can also change with:

🪫 fatigue
🔥 burnout
🤕 pain
🌡️ temperature
😟 anxiety
🍽️ hunger
💊 medication
🏠 environment
💪 activity intensity
⏳ activity duration

Research on sensory-based interventions is mixed and strongly weighted towards children. A 2025 systematic review found support for some forms of deep-pressure tactile input in child and youth populations, but this does not prove that every proprioceptive activity regulates autistic or ADHD adults.

Reviews of sensory modulation interventions in adult mental-health settings suggest possible reductions in distress and arousal, but the literature is heterogeneous and does not establish one standard proprioceptive protocol.

The accurate conclusion is:

Proprioceptive or pressure-based activities may be useful individual regulation tools. Their value should be judged by the person’s response and functional outcome, not by a universal claim about calming the nervous system.

🔊 Can Strong Body Input Reduce Sensory Overload?

Strong, predictable body input may make some people feel less dominated by sound, light or visual activity.

Possible explanations include:

🎯 attention shifting towards a controllable sensation
🧍 improved awareness of posture and physical boundaries
🔄 predictable repetitive movement replacing chaotic input
💪 muscle activity reducing restlessness
🚪 leaving the overwhelming environment to perform the activity
😌 personal associations with safety or comfort
🌬️ slower breathing during controlled movement

These possibilities do not mean proprioceptive input directly cancels other senses.

If an environment remains too loud, bright, crowded or unpredictable, the most effective intervention may still be to reduce or leave the sensory demand.

The cornerstone article What Is Sensory Overload? explains how cumulative sensory demand exceeds available processing capacity.

Proprioceptive input should not become a way of forcing yourself to tolerate an inaccessible environment indefinitely.

🛠️ Proprioceptive Activities for Adults

The following activities are options rather than prescriptions.

Choose activities that fit your body, health, environment and actual goal.

🧱 Pushing

Possible options include:

🧱 pushing against a wall
🚪 pushing a heavy door safely
🛒 pushing a shopping trolley
🧹 pushing a vacuum cleaner
🤲 pressing palms together
🪑 pushing down through chair arms before standing

🪢 Pulling

Possible options include:

🪢 using a resistance band
🧺 pulling a loaded laundry basket
🧹 pulling a wheeled bag
🤲 pulling hands against each other
🏋️ performing a controlled rowing movement

🛍️ Carrying

Possible options include:

🛍️ carrying shopping
🎒 wearing a comfortably loaded backpack
🧺 moving laundry
🌱 carrying watering cans
📦 moving manageable boxes
🐕 carrying pet supplies

Weight should be appropriate for your strength and health. Greater weight is not automatically better input.

🧘 Isometric Muscle Work

Isometric activity contracts muscles without much visible movement.

Examples include:

🤲 pressing palms together
🦶 pushing feet firmly into the floor
🪑 pressing your back against the chair
🧱 holding a wall sit
💪 gently contracting and releasing muscle groups
🦵 pressing knees outward against a resistance band

These options can be relatively discreet at work or in public.

🏋️ Resistance and Strength Activities

Examples include:

🏋️ free weights
🪢 resistance bands
🧘 body-weight exercises
🧗 climbing
🚣 rowing
🚴 cycling with resistance
🌱 gardening
🍞 kneading dough

Strength-based movement can provide substantial proprioceptive input, but it also places physical demands on joints, muscles and the cardiovascular system.

Build gradually and seek appropriate guidance when you are new to the activity or have health concerns.

🚶 Weight-Bearing Movement

Examples include:

🚶 walking
🪜 climbing stairs
🧘 yoga positions
🕺 controlled dance
🏊 swimming
🧹 household tasks
🌳 walking on varied but safe ground

These activities also involve vestibular, visual and tactile information.

🦷 Oral and Jaw Input

Chewing creates sensory feedback through the jaw and mouth.

Options may include:

🫧 chewing gum
🥕 crunchy foods
🥤 drinking through a straw
🦷 purpose-designed chewable items

Oral seeking can also reflect dental pain, jaw tension, medication effects or other needs. Persistent jaw pain, tooth damage or compulsive chewing warrants professional advice.

🧭 Start With the Goal, Not the Activity

Before choosing a tool, ask:

🎯 What am I trying to change?

Possible goals include:

🧍 feeling more aware of your body
⚡ increasing alertness
🌿 reducing restlessness
🔀 preparing for a transition
🎯 supporting concentration
🪫 recovering after demanding input
💪 improving strength or coordination
🌙 settling before sleep
😄 enjoying movement

The same activity may not serve every goal.

For example:

🚶 a fast walk may increase alertness
🧱 slow wall pushing may feel steady
🏋️ intense lifting may be energising
🫂 pressure may support settling
🎠 spinning may increase activation or nausea

Avoid automatically categorising activities as calming or alerting.

Your own response is the relevant outcome.

🚫 When Proprioceptive Input Does Not Help

The activity may be a poor fit when you feel:

🤕 pain
🔥 more agitated
🌪️ overstimulated
😴 unexpectedly exhausted
🤢 dizzy or nauseated
🫥 trapped or disconnected
💓 uncomfortably aware of your heartbeat
🦴 joint instability
🪫 a delayed physical crash

Possible reasons include:

🏋️ too much resistance
⏳ excessive duration
🦴 joint hypermobility or injury
🔥 exercising while already overloaded
🎠 unintended vestibular stimulation
🌡️ overheating
😟 pressure triggering anxiety or trauma responses
🪫 insufficient physical capacity
🎯 choosing a tool that does not match the actual need

Stop and reassess rather than pushing through.

A sensory strategy is useful only when its overall effect supports functioning or wellbeing.

⚖️ More Input Is Not Always the Answer

A common mistake is assuming every uncomfortable state needs additional sensory input.

You may actually need:

🔇 less noise
💡 lower light
🚪 distance from people
🪫 physical rest
🍽️ food
💧 water
🌡️ temperature adjustment
🤕 pain treatment
🌙 sleep
📋 fewer demands
💬 emotional support

Use Your Sensory Profile to distinguish input you seek, input you avoid and conditions under which the pattern changes.

A flexible plan should contain both:

➕ ways to add helpful input
➖ ways to remove harmful input

🧑‍⚕️ When Professional Assessment May Help

Consider assessment when body-awareness or coordination differences:

📉 significantly affect daily functioning
🚪 cause frequent collisions or injuries
⚖️ contribute to falls
🤲 make tools or household tasks unsafe
📝 interfere with writing, dressing or self-care
💼 create substantial work difficulties
🤕 produce ongoing pain or fatigue
🏃 make movement unusually difficult to learn
🦴 occur alongside joint instability
📈 are becoming progressively worse

Possible professionals include:

🧑‍⚕️ a GP for initial medical assessment
🛠️ an occupational therapist for daily functioning, sensory patterns and activity adaptation
💪 a physiotherapist for strength, balance, pain and movement
🧠 a neurologist when neurological symptoms are suspected
👂 an audiologist or vestibular specialist for balance-related symptoms
👓 an optometrist or ophthalmologist when vision contributes
🦴 a musculoskeletal or rheumatology professional where joint or connective-tissue issues are relevant

Occupational therapy should focus on meaningful participation in daily activities, not on forcing a person to tolerate input that causes distress. AOTA defines occupational therapy around enabling participation in activities people need and want to perform.

🚨 When Changes Need Prompt Medical Attention

Seek prompt medical assessment when new proprioceptive or coordination problems occur with:

💪 sudden weakness
🫥 numbness or loss of sensation
🗣️ difficulty speaking
👁️ sudden vision changes
🤕 severe new headache
⚖️ sudden loss of balance
🚶 inability to walk normally
🧠 confusion
⚡ seizures
🤕 head or spinal injury
📉 rapid neurological decline

A longstanding sensory preference is very different from sudden loss of position sense, balance or coordination.

Do not assume a new medical symptom is autism, ADHD or sensory processing.

🪞 Reflection Questions

🧍 Which forms of pressure, resistance or movement do you naturally seek or avoid?
🎯 Are you looking for body awareness, focus, alertness, comfort or relief from overload?
🔎 What changes after the activity—and what remains unchanged?
⚖️ Are any difficulties better explained by pain, fatigue, vision, balance, joint instability or another condition?
🛠️ Which two low-risk options could you test without turning them into another rigid demand?

🌱 Conclusion: Use Proprioceptive Input as Information, Not a Universal Prescription

Proprioception is your sense of body position, movement and force.

Proprioceptive input is constantly generated through ordinary movement, posture and muscle activity. Resistance, pushing, pulling, carrying and weight bearing can make that input stronger or more noticeable.

Some adults find these activities calming or focusing. Others find them activating, tiring or unpleasant.

That variation matters.

Deep pressure is not exactly the same as proprioception. Sensory seeking does not automatically prove a deficit. Bumping into objects does not identify one neurological cause. Heavy work is not guaranteed to regulate every nervous system.

The best approach is experimental and functional:

🎯 identify what you are trying to change
🛠️ choose a safe and manageable activity
⏳ try it briefly
🔎 observe the actual result
🔄 keep, adapt or discard it

Useful sensory support should increase access to your life.

It should not become another rule you have to follow or another way of forcing your body through pain, overload or an unsuitable environment.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

🧍 What is proprioceptive input?

Proprioceptive input is information about body position, movement and force generated through muscles, tendons, joints and related tissues. It is produced during ordinary actions such as walking, gripping, pushing, lifting and changing posture.

💪 What are examples of proprioceptive activities for adults?

Examples include walking, carrying shopping, wall pushing, resistance-band exercises, gardening, kneading dough, controlled strength training and pressing the feet or hands against a stable surface.

🧱 What does “heavy work” mean?

Heavy work is an occupational-therapy term for activities involving substantial muscle engagement, resistance, pushing, pulling, lifting or weight bearing. It is not a separate sensory system or a standardised medical treatment.

😌 Is proprioceptive input always calming?

No. It may feel calming, focusing, alerting, uncomfortable or neutral. The response depends on the person, activity, intensity, health, environment and current state.

🫂 Is a weighted blanket proprioceptive input?

A weighted blanket primarily provides deep tactile pressure. It may also alter muscle and joint feedback, so it can involve some proprioceptive information. It is more accurate to describe it as a deep-pressure sensory tool rather than purely proprioceptive input.

♾️ Do autistic people have poor proprioception?

Some autistic people report body-awareness, force-control or coordination differences, while others do not. Research specifically focused on adult autistic proprioception remains limited. Autism alone cannot establish that someone has impaired proprioception.

⚡ Can proprioceptive input help ADHD focus?

Some adults with ADHD find movement or resistance helps maintain alertness or reduce restlessness. Evidence does not support one specific proprioceptive treatment for ADHD, and the effect should be evaluated individually.

🔄 Why do I seek pressure but dislike movement?

Pressure, proprioception and vestibular movement are different forms of input. You may enjoy predictable tactile pressure while disliking acceleration, spinning or unstable movement.

🩺 Who assesses proprioceptive difficulties?

Depending on the concern, assessment may involve an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, GP, neurologist, vision professional or vestibular specialist.

🚨 When should proprioceptive changes be medically assessed?

Seek medical advice when difficulties begin suddenly, worsen progressively or occur with weakness, numbness, falls, severe balance changes, vision changes, confusion or other neurological symptoms.

🧭 Where to Go Next

🧠 Compare Proprioception and Interoception in ADHD and Autism.
🔄 Explore Sensory Seeking vs Sensory Avoidance.
🎧 Understand Sensory Processing Disorder in Adults.
🌀 Learn about Vestibular Sensitivity in Neurodivergent Adults.
🪞 Map Your Sensory Profile.
🚶 Explore Neurodiversity-Friendly Movement.
🛠️ Build a flexible Sensory Support Plan.
🏠 Find more resources in the Neurodiversity Learning Hub.

📚 References

📚 Blanche, E. I., Reinoso, G., Chang, M. C., and Bodison, S. (2012). Proprioceptive processing difficulties among children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66(5), 621–624.

📚 Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Proprioception: What it is, how to improve it and disorders.

📚 DuBois, D., Lymer, E., Gibson, B. E., Desarkar, P., and Nalder, E. (2017). Assessing sensory processing dysfunction in adults and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review. Brain Sciences, 7(8), 108.

📚 Jurek, L., et al. (2025). Sensory processing in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

📚 Kandlur, N. R., et al. (2023). Sensory modulation interventions for adults with mental illness: A scoping review. Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy, 36(2), 77–94.

📚 NHS England. (2023). Sensory-friendly resource pack.

📚 Piller, A., et al. (2025). Systematic review of sensory-based interventions for children and youth, 2015–2024. American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

📚 Reynolds, S., Lane, S. J., and Mullen, B. (2015). Effects of deep pressure stimulation on physiological arousal. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69(3).

📚 Zhao, Y., Zhang, Q., Liu, Z., Zhao, Z., and Zhu, Q. (2024). Safety and effectiveness of weighted blankets for symptom management in patients with mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 87, 103104.