Did you know that cerebral palsy is the most common
motor disability during childhood?
Cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders that
affects a person's motor ability,
balance and posture. To better understand cerebral palsy
We can break down the word into Cerebral and
Palsy. Cerebral refers to any condition related to the brain and palsy
refers to muscle weakness
Or any other problem related to using your muscles. Cerebral palsy can be caused by
abnormal brain development or brain-damage that affects muscle
Control in individuals.
the symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary from person to
person,
a person with mild cerebral.
Palsy usually has slight difficulty with walking and may not need any
special equipment to help them. In contrast, a person with severe cerebral palsy.
Most often need special equipment to help them with walking
or may not be able to walk at all.
However,
all cerebral palsy patients,
have problem with movement and posture with most patients also
having conditions such as seizures, muscle and joint pain and
problems related.
vision,
hearing or speech.
Cerebral palsy can be classified based on the type of motor disorder.
The three most common forms of cerebral.
Palsy are spastic, dyskinetic, and ataxic. Spastic cerebral
Palsy is the most common with 80% of people with
cerebral.
Palsy having this form. Spastic cerebral
palsy refers to muscle stiffness in your legs or arms,
or all four limbs. Dyskinetic cerebral.
Palsy causes,
uncontrollable movement in your arms and legs,
making it difficult to walk and sit,
this form of cerebral
palsy can also affect your face and tongue making it difficult
to swallow and talk.
Finally, Ataxic cerebral palsy results in problems with balance and
coordination. This can affect your ability to complete different tasks.
such as writing, picking up an object or walking.
So,
what is physiotherapy and how can it be used to
help treat cerebral
Palsy? Physiotherapy is a branch of healthcare that
focuses on the diagnosis ,treatment and prevention,
of physical impairments and disabilities. Physiotherapists
Use a variety of techniques to help patients restore their
physical function,
mobility and strength as well as to alleviate pain and
prevent further injury.
In the case of cerebral
palsy, physiotherapy can help
patient improve their mobility and prevent movement problems from getting
worse
for example,
physiotherapists can use exercises,
to help,
improve muscle strength,
flexibility and range of motion.
They can also use techniques such as stretching to help
reduce pain instead they can also help improve balance and
coordination skills which can be challenging for people with this
condition.
In addition physiotherapists can teach individuals with cerebral.
Palsy how to use assistive devices such as braces
Walkers and wheelchairs.
as mentioned earlier,
the most common types of cerebral palsy are spastic, dys-
-kinetic and ataxic. The benefits and goals of physiotherapy
can vary, depending on the type of cerebral palsy.
As mentioned earlier, spastic cerebral palsy
is the most common type.
Dedicated physiotherapy for spastic CP utilizes stretches as the main physical component to help relieve muscle tension and reduce stiffness and jerky movement.
Meanwhile in dyskinetic cerebral palsy, physiotherapy will utilize a strength training focused approach which aims to restore some of the lost control in muscle movement through increasing muscle tone.
Lastly, physiotherapy for ataxic cerebral palsy aims to improve gait and balance problems faced by patients through combination of different techniques such as gait analysis, strength, and posture training.
Additionally, through physiotherapy several other conditions that are associated with cerebral palsy can be improved upon such as: scoliosis
Abnormal curvature in the spine. Pelvic issues such pelvic inclination, which is
the protrusion of the pelvis,
either forward or backward and/or knee, wrist and hand deformities
such as the abnormal flexing,
or straightening
of these joints.
Physiotherapy for Cerebral palsy patients will focus
on improving muscle tone either by incorporating flexibility training for
over toned muscles or strength exercises for under toned muscles.
Furthermore, physiotherapy for cerebral palsy patients will assist in improving posture and walking
So, what should you expect in physiotherapy?
To help us with this, we consulted Asha Chaudhary, a physiotherapist at Trillium Health Partners.
Each patient with cerebral.
Palsy will have different needs. So a physiotherapist will conduct
an in-depth assessment.
By first examining the patient's medical history and general health including
assessing various body systems cognition and level of Consciousness.
It is also important to assess the physiological and psychological
needs of the patient,
as well,
as their learning ability,
when it comes to assessing children,
more information,
such as developmental,
milestone relative to age,
as well as the mothers pre and post-natal,
help is needed.
A physiotherapist will also conduct a series of standardized tests
to assess,
various aspects of the patient's movement,
muscle,
tone,
spasticity,
functional mobility and motor skills.
Patient and family-centered care and goal-setting are also important aspects
of creating an intervention plan.
It is important to involve the patient and setting their
own goals,
and to respect their values,
beliefs,
and preferences. For optimal outcomes.
During an intervention,
a supportive family,
and Community,
are essential.
Physio Therapy needs can also differ between children and adults.
The focus for adult is typically pain management.
Where's the focus for children is more on achieving functional
goals and supporting their movement development.
During treatment,
physiotherapist may provide or recommend various mobility aides,
such as walkers and wheelchairs,
a wide range of therapeutic.
Interventions is also used in managing cerebral.
Palsy some popular approaches include passive and active stretching,
which can help improve mobility and flexibility passive stretching involves
using an external force and assistance to stretch tight muscle
is active stretching involved,
stretching that has initiated and maintained by the patient treadmill.
Walking exercises can also be used to improve walking functions
and gait which is a person's manner of walking. Individuals
with cerebral.
Palsy may walk with an abnormal,
gait due to muscle tightness.
Improving an abnormal gait pattern is essential as poor form
can drastically restrict a person's movement and lead to the
development of chronic pain.
During these exercises,
the patient can practice walking on a treadmill.
With the support of a harness if needed.
This exercise can help improve functions such as walking speed
endurance and form.
physiotherapist can also use strength training to treat and manage
cerebral palsy.
This approach involves the physiotherapist determining,
which exercises should be used to improve the function of
a patient's weak or underused muscles based on the functional assessment.
They guide the patient to perform these exercises safely.
Ensuring that the correct muscles are being targeted strength training
can help improve balance flexibility posture and muscle strength,
in cerebral palsy patients.
Making it easier for them to be active.
In summary physiotherapy can be a valuable treatment
option for individuals with cerebral palsy.
Physiotherapists can help to improve physical function,
ability and strength as well as to alleviate and prevent
further injury,
if you or a loved one has cerebral palsy,
it may be worth considering physical therapy as part of