A byproduct of improving the speed and efficiency of the vestibular and somatosensory systems for situational awareness is injury prevention. Often overlooked, these two systems working together at a high level can improve readiness by reducing common injuries. An example of such common injuries are ankle sprains.
The somatosensory system senses that the ankle has twisted and signals the muscles around the ankle to quickly react appropriately to bring the ankle back to a neutral position.
The vestibular system senses that the body has quickly shifted to the side due to the ankle being twisted, and the sensitivity of the vestibular system to gravity. The vestibular system then signals to quickly change the positioning of the torso to maintain balance and upright posture. This is called the vestibulospinal reflex.
An individual can reduce their susceptibility to some common injuries when these two systems’ reflexes are both fast, efficient and working together.
Repeated subconcussive exposures can reduce the speed and efficiency of the vestibular system, increasing your vulnerability to injury.
I started Subconcussive Consult, LLC to educate tactical athletes about subconcussive injuries, help mitigate their exposures, and facilitate training to optimize the systems needed for situational awareness that may be negatively impacted by subconcussions.
To learn more and to work with me, please email me at [email protected].