Cerebral palsy is a condition that often appears during infancy and affects bodily movements due to a condition in the brain that abnormally controls muscle movements. The symptoms of the condition often include a lack of muscular coordination when performing voluntary movements, stiffness in the leg muscles and exaggerated reflexes. While the condition is currently incurable, treatment can often improve the condition.
Strength Training
Resistance training can improve the neuromuscular function in children with cerebral palsy, providing an improvement in their ability to carry out daily activities, according to the U.S. National Center on Physical Activity and Disability. Strength training in a group setting can also help your child to develop social skills and realize that other children are also suffering from the condition. Exercising in the gym can also help your child relax stiff and tight muscles while strengthening muscles that may be weaker than those of his healthy counterparts.
Flexibility Training
Because one of the symptoms of cerebral palsy is stiffness in your child's muscles, providing the chance to stretch these muscles can help improve her ability to move freely. These stretches can be performed as part of a yoga class, which features slow movements that can help improve joint flexibility, mobility and muscle tone.
Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy, or horseback riding as a form of therapy, can help teach your child balance and a love for the outdoors in a social setting. In addition to helping improve balance, horseback riding can also help improve muscular mobility, strength and even help ease your child's stress level. You may want to get on the horse with your child, since holding his body in the proper position will initially be challenging.
Water Therapy
Exercising in a swimming pool can help your child move more freely by reducing the strain caused by exercise. Cerebral palsy patients who exercise in water can help improve their overall cardiac health while having fun with peers. As they become more accustomed to being in the water, they may even want to participate in an aquatic therapy program to help improve their flexibility, muscular control, balance and strength.
References
- National Center on Physical Activity and Disability; Cerebral Palsy: Resistance Training; Mar. 1, 2007
- Care.com: Caring for a Child with Cerebral Palsy
- Cerebral Palsy Therapy: Exercises
- CerebralPalsy.org: Exercise Matters to Children with Cerebral Palsy
- National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Cerebral Palsy; May 6, 2010
