Kinaesthetics

Kinaesthetics is the study of body motion, and of the perception (both conscious and unconscious) of one's own body motions. The perception of continuous movement (kinesthesia) is largely unconscious. A conscious proprioception is achieved through increased awareness. Kinaesthetics involves the teaching and personal development of such awareness.

Therapeutic applications
Occupational therapy and physical therapy based on movement-associated awareness has been applied in the Western world since the mid-1980s, especially in Central European care facilities. It makes use of the psychophysiological finding that greater muscle tone reduces proprioceptive sensitivity.

Kinaesthetics may benefit patients who need:
 * Assistance in activities of daily living (ADL)
 * Somatic feedback
 * To reduce the physical effort required to move

History
Kinaesthetics was developed in the early 1970s by Frank White Hatch, who was a choreograph and dancer. Hatch studied behavioral cybernetics at Madison/Wisconsin and developed academic programs for movement and dance called Kinaesthetics in three American universities. He then turned working with disabled children as well as the field of rehabilitation. Psychologist Lenny Maietta developed a handling-training for young parents which based on behavioral cybernetics too. Hatch & Maietta taught and worked together in the German-speaking countries since 1974. With the dancer John Graham they held workshops under the name of Gentle Dance.

Maietta & Hatch used Kinaesthetics-seminars the first time as therapy in the Ernest-Holmes Fachklinik in Germany 1974-77. Together with the registered nurse Suzanne Bernard Schmidt Maietta & Hatch developed the job-specific program "Kinaesthetics in nursing." They were in dialogue and exchange with Gregory Bateson, Moshe Feldenkrais, Berta and Karel Bobath, Liliane Juchli and Nancy Roper. In addition to behavioral cybernetics and dance, movement therapy and humanistic psychology were named as key sources of kinaesthetics.

Maietta & Hatch are still actively involved in the development of Kinaesthetics. In the last years, especially programs for caregivers, for workplace health and for older people were developed. Currently there are four organizations in which Kinaesthetics-programs are developed.

Films

 * Asmussen-Clausen, M. / Knobel, S. (2006): Fortbewegen statt heben - Kinästhetik in der Pflegepraxis (DVD)
 * Asmussen-Clausen, M. / Buschmann, U. (2004): Kinästhetik Infant Handling - Bewegungsunterstützung in den ersten Lebensjahren (DVD)
 * Bauder-Mißbach, H. (2008): "Grundlagen der Bewegungsförderung " (DVD)
 * Marty-Teuber, M. (2000): Ermöglichen statt Behindern - Kinaesthetics ein Lern- und Interaktionsmodell (DVD)