Body Sensation Word Map
(Interoception + Proprioception Support Tool in Physical Therapy)
I recently created this resource for some clients who have been working on building body awareness and noticing internal sensation in a more structured way. (Click to DOWNLOAD)
I thought it might also be helpful to share more broadly as a starting place for language—something to help expand the words we have available when describing what we feel inside the body.
Sometimes it can be surprisingly hard to describe internal experience, especially when sensations feel vague, overwhelming, or hard to put into words. This word map is simply meant to offer a reference point for beginning to name sensation, if and when that feels useful.
In clinical work, this kind of language-building supports both interoception and proprioception, helping the nervous system refine how it maps internal experience, load, and movement.
Why Sensation Language Matters in PT
In rehabilitation and pelvic health work, symptoms are rarely just about strength, alignment, or “tightness.” They are often about how the nervous system is organizing and interpreting internal signals.
When people begin to develop more precise language for sensation, we often see:
Improved awareness of effort vs. over-effort
Earlier recognition of guarding or bracing patterns
Better coordination between breath, pressure systems, and movement
Less reliance on global or vague descriptors like “bad” or “tight”
More ability to notice change over time rather than just intensity
From a nervous system perspective, clarity reduces threat, and reduced threat improves coordination and adaptability.
How to Use This Word Map
This is not a checklist and there are no correct answers.
Instead, think of this as a menu of possible sensations. You can glance at it before, during, or after movement and simply notice if any words feel like they match your experience.
A simple way to explore:
Bring attention to a region of the body (pelvis, ribs, abdomen, neck, etc.)
Scan without trying to change anything
See if any words naturally fit what you are noticing
Let it be as simple as one word or a cluster of descriptors
Notice if sensation shifts with breath, position, or support
There is no need to force clarity. Even “unclear,” “foggy,” or “hard to track” are valid and meaningful observations.
Body Sensation Word Map
PRESSURE / LOAD
heavy, light, weighted, weightless, compressed, pressurized, squeezed, tight, bulging, full, overfull, underfilled, contained, stretched, taut, bearing down, pushing, expanding, inflated, crushed, pinched, dense, thick, solid, supported, unsupported, braced, unbraced, compact, open
TEMPERATURE
warm, hot, burning, flushed, heated, radiating-warmth, cool, cold, icy, chilled, freezing, lukewarm, neutral, shifting-hot, shifting-cold, deep-warm, surface-warm, deep-cold
MOVEMENT / FLOW
pulsing, vibrating, buzzing, trembling, quivering, fluttery, rolling, swaying, rocking, drifting, streaming, flowing, rippling, spiraling, surging, throbbing, oscillating, jittery, shaky, bouncing, vibrating-light, vibrating-deep, settling, shifting, loosening, tightening, wave-like
MUSCLE TONE / HOLDING
tight, tense, rigid, braced, locked, gripping, guarded, clenched, contracted, shortened, held, frozen, loose, soft, slack, released, melted, lengthening, unwinding, opening, yielding, collapsed, supported, organized, disorganized, stuck, easing, freed, stabilizing, unbracing
SPACE / BODY MAPPING
expanded, widened, narrowed, compressed, open, closed, contained, exposed, protected, vulnerable, grounded, anchored, floating, suspended, centered, off-center, stable, unstable, big, small, stretched-out, pulled-in, inward, outward, connected, disconnected, present-in-body, not-fully-in-body, far-away, close-in
ENERGY / ACTIVATION LEVEL
calm, settled, steady, alert, awake, energized, vibrant, strong, alive, wired, jittery, hyperactive, activated, overwhelmed, flooded, overloaded, wound-up, agitated, tired, drained, depleted, low, flat, dull, foggy, muted, restless, uneasy, balanced, regulated
CLARITY / SIGNAL QUALITY
clear, vivid, noticeable, present, obvious, sharp, foggy, blurry, distant, faint, unclear, muted, numb, blank, absent, empty, detached, disconnected, spaced-out, diffuse, scattered, hard-to-pinpoint, inconsistent, partially-aware, tracking, hard-to-track, signal-clear
Important Note on Use and Support
This resource was designed for clients who are building body awareness and may find internal sensation difficult to notice, describe, or organize.
It is offered as a starting place for language, not something to complete or perform correctly.
If you find this type of awareness easy, you might simply use it as a way to expand nuance. If you find it difficult, unclear, or overwhelming, that is also important information.
Nothing here needs to be forced.
If tracking sensation feels hard to pace, confusing, or activating, it may be helpful to work with a clinician or practitioner who can support you in titrating attention safely and gradually, and in staying within a comfortable window of capacity.
There is no requirement to use this tool for it to be useful. Sometimes simply having language available is enough.
The body’s signals always carry information—but sometimes that information includes needing less internal focus, more external orientation, or a different approach entirely.
This word map is here to support awareness when it feels accessible, not to override the body’s own signals about timing or readiness.
