The benefits of heavy work
Heavy work is a commonly used term, but not everyone knows what it actually refers to! This post aims to give you a better understand of what it is and how you can use it to support children with sensory differences. I will cover
The benefits of heavy work
Heavy work is a commonly used term, but not everyone knows what it actually refers to! This post aims to give you a better understand of what it is and how you can use it to support children with sensory differences. I will cover
Many years ago, I was at a training day considering sensory processing and autism. The presenter asked the audience, ‘Have you heard of heavy work?’ Of the 200 people sitting in the room, most of them put their hand up. The presenter continued and asked, ‘Does anyone know what it is? Could you show me an example?’ After this question, not one hand went into the air. The room fell silent. The presenter began to answer his own question started to demonstrate some squashes and compressions. The audience was amazed. It was as if they had never seen heavy work in action before.
Let’s solve the mystery
As an occupational therapist this surprised me. Whilst most of the attendees in the audience said they had heard of the term, many of them didn’t seem to know what it really was. The term is frequently mentioned in books and advice for children with sensory processing difficulties and/or autism. It is commonly recommended to help support their sensory issues. Yet, to those in the audience, what term actually meant seemed to be a mystery. In this post, I hope is to solve the mystery of heavy work.
Heavy work = Proprioception
When occupational therapists use the term heavy work they are usually referring to any activity that activates our proprioceptors. Our proprioceptors are parts of our joints and muscles that receive feedback when we move. They tell us the position our limbs are in. They let us know how much or how little force we are using. We discuss proprioception in much more depth in our post ‘What is Proprioception?’ If you haven’t read this post, or aren’t familiar with the term proprioception, we recommend you read it first before you continue.
A helpful sensory strategy
Heavy work is a commonly recommended sensory activity. It includes any activity that provides resistance. When you push something, like a shopping trolley. you create resistance. When you pull something, like a door open, you create resistance. If you carry something, like a backpack, there is resistance. Moving your body in any way activates the proprioceptors. However, when therapists refer to heavy work they typically mean moving with or against resistance.
Kim explains proprioception
When to use heavy work
Sensory integration theory indicates that proprioceptive input helps to calm and organise the brain. This results in the input being suggested as a strategy to help children calm their bodies down and regulate. Heavy work can be a good sensory strategy for a child that experiences sensory overload, both before and after activity they find overloading. Therapists often recommend it for a child or adult who has sensory sensitivities, especially if this is with their touch sense. It is also a good sensory strategy for sensory seekers as it can also help them organise. Heavy work activities are also often recommended to help those with autism.
What heavy work activities could we try?
Any activity that includes resistance, gives extra proprioceptive sensory input. This list gives some examples of day to day activities which include increased resistance.
What about squashing and brushing?
Squashing and brushing are often included under the heading heavy work. I think this is because occupational therapists often use these strategies to help children to calm down. They may use them in the same session and alongside heavy work. However, technically speaking the strategies are not the same. This is because they target the touch sense not the proprioceptive sense. As the sensory input is to the skin, they trigger the skin’s touch pressure receptors, not the proprioceptors in the joints and muscles. Whilst they are helpful strategies to help to regulate some children with sensory sensitivity I think it is important to understand exactly which sense they target. This is because it helps to ensure the right strategy is being used correctly with the right child.
I explore touch pressure further in this post – Why Touch Pressure Helps with Regulation.
What about weighted products?
There are also numerous weighted products available, such as weighted blankets and vests. These by themselves are not heavy work. Like squashing they activate the touch sense, primarily deep touch pressure. However, when a child moves under or wears a weighted product, the weight provides additional resistance to their movement. This will active their proprioceptors and, if you remember back to the beginning of this post, we said heavy work = proprioception. We explore weighted products in further depth here Weighted blankets, benefits, precautions plus when and why to use them.
Whilst you can use online information and training to support your decisions. An occupational therapy assessment is the best way to find out which strategies are most appropriate for each child.
How can I use heavy work in the classroom?
Heavy work activities can easily be integrated into movement breaks, or sensory diets. You could add pushups or wall presses or planks into the child’s activities. Or, you could get them to carry a heavy box or ball across the room. I’ve included hand presses and finger pulls in this short video which you can use at home or in the classroom. Resistance bands are another inexpensive piece of equipment to add to your sensory tool box in the classroom too. I explore how to use these effectively and home and school in my sensory training and in my book Success with Sensory Supports.
References
- Ayres, A.J. (1972). Sensory Integration and Learning Disorders.
- Lane, S. (2002). Chapter 4 Sensory Modulation in Sensory Integration Theory and Practice 2nd Edition by Bundy, Murry & Lane.
- Miller, L.J. (2014) Sensational Kids Hope and Help for Children with SPD–Revised
Photo Credits
- Children’s tug of war – Photo by Anna Samoylova on Unsplash
- Child rock climbing – Photo by Rachel on Unsplash
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