Helping Jack Sit Taller: Back Extension for Kids with Cerebral Palsy 💙 | Pediatric PT #7

🌟 Welcome back! Meet Jack — Back Extension Challenge for Trunk Strength 💙 | Pediatric Physical Therapy #7 I’m so glad you’re here! Please meet my wonderful co-instructor, Jack, who was 12 years old when we filmed this session. Jack has significant involvement (GMFCS Level V) due to cerebral palsy, along with a seizure disorder, cortical vision impairment, and scoliosis. He wears a cochlear implant and hearing aid, receives all nutrition through a G-tube, and has a history of orthopedic surgeries including femoral derotation and heel-cord lengthenings. And most importantly — he is truly delightful. ✨ Today, Jack practices active back extension. I gently lean him forward, and he works hard to pull himself upright again so he can reach for a motivating, easy-activate toy held by his sister Emory. This movement is important for building the trunk strength that supports posture, balance, and scoliosis management. 🕒 Video Chapters 0:00 Introduction & greetings 0:14 Why back-extensor strength matters 0:27 Setup: bench sitting, feet grounded, shins belted for stability 0:40 Leaning forward while keeping the head safe 0:55 Jack works to extend back up toward the toy 1:08 Encouragement & active trunk effort 1:22 Letting Jack activate the toy 1:36 Second repetition — increased challenge 1:49 Toy held slightly higher = bigger movement 2:02 Why upright posture matters in scoliosis 2:15 Final thoughts & encouragement 2:28 See more of Jack’s videos (playlist link) 2:42 Subscribe reminder 🎯 What we’re working on today 🪑 Stable bench sitting with feet supported 💪🏽 Back-extensor muscle activation 🎯 Motivation through toy activation 👧🏼 Sibling participation — Emory leading the fun! Jack sits on a padded bench with his feet flat on the floor. To increase stability, his shins are belted lightly to the bench legs. I straddle the bench behind him and support him as I lean him forward. He then actively uses his trunk muscles to return to upright so he can reach for Emory’s toy. The further forward he leans, the harder he has to work to come back up — which is excellent strengthening for children with cerebral palsy and scoliosis. ⚠️ Important note: These activities are specific to Jack and his medical needs. This video is for educational purposes only. Please talk with your child’s own therapist before trying new exercises. ✨ Watch More Videos with Jack Jack’s Playlist → https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjM8cf4VN1tDJr3WVctwiPSI 📚 My Books on Amazon “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 “Pediatric PT Strengthening Exercises for the Hips” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 “Pediatric PT Strengthening Exercises for the Knees” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 “Pediatric PT Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD 🌍 Captions I review and correct all captions for accuracy. To turn them on or change the language: CC → Settings → Subtitles/CC → Auto-translate 👉🏽 Don’t forget to subscribe for weekly videos and tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update!