I see a difference between knowing where the door posts is because you have previously seen it and knowing where something is, say behind you, without having seen it.

I have visual memory and mental imaging limitations. I use to have a photographic memory of my surroundings. I could set something down and be able to know exactly where I put it, even if I had to reach behind to pick it up without looking.

I lost that 16 years ago. I have to purposely observe where things are so I can remember or visualize where they are. What used to be a very natural and subconscious process has become a very conscious and purposeful process.

It sounds to me like you have trouble with your 'mind's eye.' Welcome to the club. It takes time to learn new ways to have a sense of where things are. The only trick I have learned is that this is no longer a subconscious function. I have to put more focus and effort into this.

It almost like a newly blind person saying, "I'm blind. How do I see what I cannot see." They have to use other senses and systems to be aware of their surroundings.

Some of these things might just need a sort of 're-calibration.' The injured brain can lose short cuts and other processes that have been learned over time. To re-calibrate those footsteps behind you, you would need to add a visual understanding to what your ears are hearing. The result would be your brain taking a short cut through the process of " I hear footsteps behind me. Are they 2 feet or ten feet behind me? I'll take a quick side glance and see. ..... Ah, they are ten feet back. I'll try to remember this auditory stimulation so that the next time, I won't have to look."

Many with PCS fail to realize than many of our skills were learned over a 20 year experience with life. If we lose that skill, it may take time to regain it because that skill had been previously learned over 20 years time. It will not take another 20 years but it will take time and even some work-arounds.

I had never lost ANYTHING before Jan 2001. I had such good visual recall that I could always remember where I left something. I could tell if my pocket knife was in my pocket without touching it because I knew the sensation of the weight of my pocket knife or wallet or cell phone.
Since that date, I have lost many things, a valuable pocket KNIFE I had owned and used daily for 20 years, misplaced cell phones, and many more.
I finally gave up and put a lanyard on my cell phone so I can hang it around my neck. I replaced that expensive pocket knife with a cheap one.

Personally, I feel like I had to mourn the loss of that skill. I've worked with hand tools my whole life. Setting a tool down and knowing where I set it was a big part of ME. It's like I lost control of my surroundings. BUT, my visual memory and related skills got hammered by my injury. My doc had never seen somebody with such loss of function.

I would bet that you can relearn these skills. Just learn to focus and be aware rather than depending on subconscious skills.

My best to you.