One of the things I treasure most about being a physical therapist is time. Because sessions are one-on-one and unhurried, people often share more than pain or injuries – they share their lived experience. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed more and more clients opening up about being neurodivergent, often with ADHD or autism, and describing something that deeply resonates:
“I don’t know if I’m doing this right.”
“I can’t feel the muscle you’re talking about.”
“I’ve never really felt connected to my body.”
Many of these clients have tried physical therapy before. They did the exercises. They followed instructions. But they left wondering if it was working—because even if the movement looked right, inside, they felt very little.
So often, this comes down to two body senses we don’t talk about enough: proprioception and interoception.
The Senses We Don’t Think About
Proprioception is your sense of where your body is in space. It’s what lets you walk through a room without bumping into things or adjust your posture without staring at yourself in a mirror. When this system works differently, movements can feel clumsy, effortful, or hard to coordinate.
Interoception is your awareness of what’s happening inside your body—hunger, thirst, the need to use the bathroom, muscle tension, breathing patterns, or the early signs of stress. When this sense is unclear, someone might not notice they’re exhausted until they crash, tense until they hurt, or hungry until they’re shaky.
For many neurodivergent people, the brain processes sensory information differently. Some experience sensations intensely and get overwhelmed. Others barely notice signals unless they’re very strong. Many people live somewhere in between. These differences can influence everything from balance and coordination to fatigue, pelvic health, and emotional regulation.
Why PT Can Feel Frustrating
Traditional exercise cues—“engage your core,” “relax your shoulders,” “activate your pelvic floor”—assume you can feel those areas. For someone with differences in body awareness, that can feel like being asked to control a muscle that’s invisible.
That’s not a lack of effort. It’s a mismatch in communication between the nervous system and the instructions.
In my work, that often means changing how I teach: using touch, props, or positioning to give clearer feedback; breaking movements into smaller steps; adjusting home programs so they’re actually doable; and most importantly, listening. Instead of assuming what someone felt, I ask. Their experience guides the plan.
Why This Is Personal
This understanding deepened when my own family learned we’re a neurodivergent household. Watching my children and partner navigate attention, learning, and body awareness differently has changed me—not just as a parent, but as a clinician. It’s been humbling and eye-opening, and it’s reminded me how many ways there are to experience the world.
Feeling More at Home in Your Body
When physical therapy includes breathwork, grounding, sensory awareness, and nervous system support—not just strengthening and stretching—it helps bridge the gap between brain and body.
The goal isn’t perfect form. It’s helping people feel safer, more confident, and more at home in themselves.
Because when your body stops feeling like a mystery, you can finally start trusting it.
