How Sensory-Informed Training Supports Regulation and Engagement in Individuals with ASD

Client engaging in energy-release resistance band movements.

Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay began writing “The Mind Tree” when he was just eight years old, chronicling his experience growing up minimally verbal with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thanks to his mother’s early efforts to teach him to read and write, Tito communicates with remarkable clarity through written word – laying bare the internal experience living with autism. 

In one passage, he describes feeling “scattered” in his own body, perceiving himself as just a hand or a leg rather than a whole person. He writes that spinning, running and flapping his hands are his way of finding his body.

These behaviors stem from his body’s craving for proprioceptive input – sensory feedback from the muscles, tendons, joints and the inner ear that helps the brain understand where the body is in space and how it’s moving. The “scattered” feeling Tito describes when his brain isn’t receiving strong sensory input is not unique to him. An estimated 90-95% of individuals with autism experience difficulties with sensory processing, which can lead to challenges with motor control, emotional regulation and engaging with everyday tasks.

When Occupational Therapist Jean Ayres developed Sensory Integration Theory, she created a framework to help individuals with autism better manage sensory dysregulation. Building on this foundation, Kidisthenics uses sensory-informed movement and fitness training to empower clients to find their place within their body.

Understanding Sensory Processing in Autism

Sensory-processing difficulties are often among the earliest observable traits in developmental disorders. For individuals with ASD, the proprioceptive, vestibular and tactile systems are among the most commonly impacted, with many experiencing over- or under-sensitivity to input from these systems. 

When dysregulated, these systems can impair balance, motor control and the ability to complete daily tasks. Proprioceptive dysfunction can lead to decreased spatial awareness, difficulty modulating force, or a tendency toward repetitive and intense movement. The vestibular system, made up of inner ear structures and parts of the brain, works closely with proprioception to maintain balance, posture and spatial orientation. In a study of 36 individuals with ASD, 39% (14 participants) had multiple abnormal findings during balance and vestibular testing. When the vestibular system is disrupted, individuals may fear everyday activities like walking on uneven surfaces or seek intense input through spinning, jumping or rocking.

The tactile system, composed of receptors under the skin, allows the brain to process touch, temperature, pressure and pain. If this system is dysregulated, a person may react harshly to textures or under-react to pain, and display behaviors like irritability, distractibility and hyperactivity. 

Sensory Integration Theory as our Foundation

Sensory-integration theory uses purposeful sensory input to engage dysregulated systems and build more organized, regulated responses – helping individuals like Tito experience a sense of wholeness in their body.

Founded on the principle that sensory processing disruptions interfere with purposeful movement, this approach introduces structured sensory experiences to elicit adaptive motor responses. These activities must be highly personalized based on each participant’s unique sensory profile.

In one study, eight children with autism and intellectual disabilities – who displayed behaviors indicating a need for deep pressure – participated in structured deep-pressure activities three times a day for three months. Four children showed improvements in stress reduction, responsiveness, mood, and communicativeness. Two showed no improvement, and two showed minimal change – highlighting that while beneficial, outcomes vary and must be tailored to the individual.

Another study involving 20 children with ASD found that those who participated in sensory integration interventions over six weeks made significant gains in sensory processing, emotional regulation, and social functioning, with a decrease in self-stimulatory behaviors.

Together, these findings affirm that sensory integration is most effective when individualized, and that progress looks different for every person.

What Sensory-Informed Training Looks Like at Kidisthenics

Kidisthenics applies Sensory Integration Theory through a fitness-based lens. Sports-based programs are proven to support children with ASD by improving motor skills, hand-eye coordination, strength and executive functioning. By layering sensory-informed movement into these programs, Kidisthenics helps regulate the body and emotions through high-intensity training.

We use primitive and rhythmic movement patterns that stimulate the proprioceptive, vestibular, and tactile systems. Primitive movements like crawling or climbing mimic early developmental patterns, while offering consistent proprioceptive input through active joint compression in the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees – enhancing body awareness and coordination. Rhythmic activities, like heel-to-toe walking on a balance beam or controlled rocking, stimulate the vestibular system and promote balance, postural control, and sustained attention.

A key element of our sensory-informed approach is our energy-release resistance band exercises. These movements are designed to meet each client’s sensory needs, whether that’s deep pressure through banded “bear hugs” for proprioceptive input or banded finger plucks to awaken tactile awareness. These customizable resistance movements promote emotional regulation and stress relief in a way that feels empowering to the individual.

Whether a client is sensory-seeking, craving intense movement and heavy input, or sensory-avoidant, working to gradually expand their comfort with touch and motion, every session is uniquely tailored to their sensory profile and developmental goals. 

By leading with a sensory-informed perspective, our training at Kidisthenics helps individuals build the foundational skills for motor coordination, emotional regulation, and body awareness – organizing the “scattered” self into one that moves through the world with greater confidence, autonomy, and control.

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