Cerebral Palsy & Crouch Walking? Teach Taller Walking with Stepping Over 👧🏽🚶🏽‍♀️ | Pediatric PT #48

Crouch walking? Try Stepping over 👧🏽🚶🏽‍♀️✨ | Pediatric Physical Therapy for Kids with CP @pediatricPTexercises Hello! My name is Amy Sturkey. I am a pediatric physical therapist. Hi! And I'm here with Alexis. Please meet my wonderful co-instructor, Alexis Sanderson. Alexis has cerebral palsy and is a Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Level 3/4. She can walk with trunk support well, pretty well with 2 hands held, and short distances with 1 handheld. She can walk in a walker with help to steer. She needs a wheelchair for longer distances. She has a communication device, is learning to drive a power wheelchair, and has an excellent understanding of what is said to her. She is a great worker, terminally adorable, and a joy to work with. In this session, we’re addressing Alexis’s crouch walking pattern and steppage gait by practicing a stepping-over task using three very low obstacles (approximately 1 inch high). Alexis steps over all 3 obstacles one time while I provide full trunk assistance and significant hands-on support at her upper leg, especially with her stiffer right leg. Alexis has trouble stepping over obstacles because of her steppage gait pattern. When she steps, she tends to rely on hip and knee flexion to clear the obstacle. In typical obstacle clearance, the leg flexes at the hip and then extends at the knee to lengthen the limb and clear the object. Alexis does not consistently access that knee extension pattern yet. This task is designed to encourage knee extension (straightening the knees) on BOTH: • the stance leg (for support and stability) • the stepping leg (to clear the obstacle with a longer limb) The obstacles are spaced between carpet squares, and a preferred toy is placed at the end of the pathway for motivation. Starting with very low obstacles helps Alexis practice this challenging movement pattern safely and successfully. I hope this is helpful for therapists and families working on upright walking mechanics and obstacle clearance for kids who are crouch walkers. Thanks so much for watching, and we’ll look forward to seeing you next time! 🎥 Watch all of Alexis’s videos (playlist): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjNQyu5vJsft6bWiGCmEU-nR 🌐 More from me: Website: www.pediatricPTexercises.com Facebook: Pediatric Physical Therapy Exercises Email: amysturkey@gmail.com ⚠️ Important note: These videos are for educational purposes only and are not a substitute for in-person pediatric physical therapy. Every child is unique. I cannot provide treatment recommendations for a child I have not personally evaluated. For specific guidance, please consult a local pediatric physical therapist. 📚 Books by Amy Sturkey (Amazon) Children’s Books: P is for Poop and Pee Accidents — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLSRJ483 A is for Anxiety — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LXQ3W6V A is for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QH9H5HR C is for Cerebral Palsy — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088TSJCYP D is for Down Syndrome — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P8HH49 A is for Autism — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071F4FFTB Professional PT Books: Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Hips — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Knees — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD