Body scheme is the understanding of one’s body parts and their relative positions in space. This is achieved via a complex process of integration of our sensory and motor systems.
The most commonly seen problems include the individual’s inability to recognise their right from their left or an inability to identify parts of their body.
Problems with body scheme can impact on the person’s ability to engage in activities of daily living as follows:
- Difficulty in participating in and/or accuracy when brushing hair, shaving, brushing teeth, dressing etc.
- The person may be unable to respond to instructions to move parts of their body e.g. asking the person to lift their right arm during washing.
- The person may refer to their right side but mean their left e.g. I have a pain in my right shoulder (when the pain is really on the left).
Functional implications:
- These difficulties can result in confusion for the person and their carers as they may lack an understanding of why they are unable to do simple tasks in the absence of any physical or cognitive problems.
- The person may experience one or more of the above difficulties which can impact upon their ability to participate safely and effectively in activities, whether these are personal or domestic activities of daily living, leisure or work related activities.