Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSignsUsesKinesthesis vs. Vestibular SenseImpact

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Table of Contents

Signs

Uses

Kinesthesis vs. Vestibular Sense

Impact

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Kinesthesis is theperceptionof body movements and detecting changes in body position and movements. It is also referred to as kinesthesia or kinesthetic sense. You use your kinesthetic sense whenever you engage in physical activity such as walking, running, driving, dancing, swimming—anything that requires body movement.

When you compress or tense your muscles, they detect andcommunicate sensory informationabout movement and posture. This sense is also sometimes referred to as muscle memory.

Note that kinesthesis is not the same as equilibrium. The ability to detect and maintain balance involves different sensory inputs and is linked to the functions of the inner ear.

At a Glance

Kinesthesis is a sense that relies onreceptorsin the muscles, joints, and tendons. This sense plays an important role in the ability to control body movements, including walking, posture, and expressions.

Signs of Kinesthesis

Through your sense of kinesthesis, you can tell where different parts of your body are located, even if your eyes are closed, or you are not looking at your body. For example, when you are riding a bicycle, receptors in your arms and legs send information to thebrainabout the position and movement of your limbs.

When you need to perform a complex physical action, your sense of kinesthesis allows you to know where your body is and how much further it needs to go.

Some signs that you are using your sense of kinesthesis include:

One sign that kinesthesis is at work is if you are moving your body and can stop at the exact moment that you want to. You can do this even without relying on your vision to tell you when to stop moving.

When you think of the five major senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing), you might note that these all tend to focus on perceiving stimuli outside of the self. Kinesthesis is one type of sense that is focused on the body’s internal events.

Kinesthesis and Learning

Kinesthesis is one of the four major learning styles in theFleming VARK model, along with visual, auditory, and reading/writing. According totheories of learning styles, people learn best if instruction is offered according to their learning preferences.

This theory suggests that kinesthetic learners enjoy being physically active, excel at sports, and have fast reaction times.

The VARK model suggests that people with this learning style may prefer lessons that involve movement, such as experimenting, working with a group to solve a problem, or performing a skit.

The concept of learning styles is enormously popular, particularly in the field of education. However, most research has found that there is little evidence that instructing students according to their preferred learning style impacts educational outcomes.However, understanding how you prefer to learn may still help improve your motivation and enjoyment of the learning process.

RecapPeople with a kinesthetic learning style may learn through their sense of kinesthesis. This means they prefer activities that incorporate movement or physical activity, and often learn best through direct experience.

Recap

People with a kinesthetic learning style may learn through their sense of kinesthesis. This means they prefer activities that incorporate movement or physical activity, and often learn best through direct experience.

Kinesthesis and vestibular sense are sometimes confused, but there are important distinctions between the two. Both senses are important for body movement and spatial orientation, but they serve different functions and work differently.

Where kinesthesia refers to the ability to sense body position and movement, the vestibular sense involves your sense of balance and spatial orientation.

Impact of Kinesthesis

Kinesthesis plays an essential role in daily life. This sense is vital for many of the skills and actions that people rely on every day, including driving a car, riding a bike, or even just walking down the street.

Without kinesthesis, such actions could be perilous or even potentially dangerous. Kinesthetics can also have therapeutic applications, including:

Some therapies—including physical therapy, occupational therapy,dance therapy, andyoga therapy—rely on many different aspects of kinesthesis. The use of kinesthetics can be useful for helping people achieve important daily living tasks.

Kinesthetic/Tactile Massage

This type of massage focuses on the body’s movement rather than the pressure applied.This can be helpful for people who are recovering from an injury or who have chronic pain.

Kinesthetic Exercises

These can improve balance and coordination, which can be especially helpful for older adults who are at risk of falling.

Athletics

Kinesthesis can also be used to improve athletic performance. For example, training with a kinesthetic coach can help an athlete learn the correct way to perform a particular movement. This can help them avoid injury and improve their overall performance.

Keep in Mind

While there has been little empirical support for the concept of learning styles, there may be ways to take advantage of a preference for kinesthetic learning.

Kolb’s Theory of Learning Styles

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Proske U, Gandevia SC.Kinesthetic senses.Compr Physiol. 2018;8(3):1157-1183. doi:10.1002/cphy.c170036APA Dictionary of Psychology.Kinesthesis. American Psychological Association.Pashler H, McDaniel M, Rohrer D, Bjork R.Learning styles: Concepts and evidence.Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2008;9(3):105-19. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.xRajagopalan A, Jinu KV, Sailesh KS, Mishra S, Reddy UK, Mukkadan JK.Understanding the links between vestibular and limbic systems regulating emotions.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2017;8(1):11-15. doi:10.4103/0976-9668.198350Elmoneim MA, Mohamed HA, Awad A, et al.Effect of tactile/kinesthetic massage therapy on growth and body composition of preterm infants.Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(1):207-215. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03738-w

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Proske U, Gandevia SC.Kinesthetic senses.Compr Physiol. 2018;8(3):1157-1183. doi:10.1002/cphy.c170036APA Dictionary of Psychology.Kinesthesis. American Psychological Association.Pashler H, McDaniel M, Rohrer D, Bjork R.Learning styles: Concepts and evidence.Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2008;9(3):105-19. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.xRajagopalan A, Jinu KV, Sailesh KS, Mishra S, Reddy UK, Mukkadan JK.Understanding the links between vestibular and limbic systems regulating emotions.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2017;8(1):11-15. doi:10.4103/0976-9668.198350Elmoneim MA, Mohamed HA, Awad A, et al.Effect of tactile/kinesthetic massage therapy on growth and body composition of preterm infants.Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(1):207-215. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03738-w

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Proske U, Gandevia SC.Kinesthetic senses.Compr Physiol. 2018;8(3):1157-1183. doi:10.1002/cphy.c170036APA Dictionary of Psychology.Kinesthesis. American Psychological Association.Pashler H, McDaniel M, Rohrer D, Bjork R.Learning styles: Concepts and evidence.Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2008;9(3):105-19. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.xRajagopalan A, Jinu KV, Sailesh KS, Mishra S, Reddy UK, Mukkadan JK.Understanding the links between vestibular and limbic systems regulating emotions.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2017;8(1):11-15. doi:10.4103/0976-9668.198350Elmoneim MA, Mohamed HA, Awad A, et al.Effect of tactile/kinesthetic massage therapy on growth and body composition of preterm infants.Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(1):207-215. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03738-w

Proske U, Gandevia SC.Kinesthetic senses.Compr Physiol. 2018;8(3):1157-1183. doi:10.1002/cphy.c170036

APA Dictionary of Psychology.Kinesthesis. American Psychological Association.

Pashler H, McDaniel M, Rohrer D, Bjork R.Learning styles: Concepts and evidence.Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2008;9(3):105-19. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x

Rajagopalan A, Jinu KV, Sailesh KS, Mishra S, Reddy UK, Mukkadan JK.Understanding the links between vestibular and limbic systems regulating emotions.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2017;8(1):11-15. doi:10.4103/0976-9668.198350

Elmoneim MA, Mohamed HA, Awad A, et al.Effect of tactile/kinesthetic massage therapy on growth and body composition of preterm infants.Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(1):207-215. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03738-w

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