"Making Strides, it's all in the name.... Ididn't really realise until I had completed my first session. I am still 'making strides' 5 years later" - SOPH (CP)

Over the years, Making Strides has grown and developed in many ways. Sophie has been there for a bunch of it. Starting with us in 2016, at our small shed next door. Having continued her visiting trips for intensive rehab Sophie has chipped away at maintaining and improving on her strengths and managing living with cerebral palsy.  On arrival for another one of her two-week stints, Sophie was asked "So what's been happening?" to which she replied with a story of the first time she was able to get out of bed on her own, into her wheelchair and cruise into the kitchen to surprise her Family! She truly has been "Making Strides" ever since. 

Breaking down tasks you can and can't do is an overwhelming process, especially if you have never truly known any difference.  Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a lifelong condition, varying in nature but can often include muscle spasticity leading to joint contracture over time. With CP, many medical interventions can cease when a person stops growing, because of this it is often expected that people see a slow regression in function with age. As a caveat to these regressions, one may utilise services such as exercise physiology and physiotherapy. Or even better, a combination of the two.  

Physiotherapy combines techniques to release muscle and joint tightness and relieve any associated pain. Treatment from a physio can aid in respiratory health, digestive health and diagnose any potential barriers to exercise. Secondly, the benefits of physiotherapy enable individuals to get even more out of their Exercise Physiology sessions. Regular training to correct muscle imbalances, improve posture and mobility through movement and improve overall cardio-respiratory health are just some of the things you may work on with your EP. Working to improve or maintain functional ability is a slow, sometimes gruelling but has a cumulative effect. Although the combination of treatments isn't a magical spell. We can not promise independent standing or walking function, but exploring the possibilities is half the fun of training - celebrating the small wins is the other half!