One Weak Arm? Catching Gets Harder… or Easier? Try This 👨🏽‍🦱🏀 | Mild Hemiplegia PT #2

👋🏽 Hi, I’m Amy Sturkey, a retired pediatric physical therapist with over 35 years of experience. Progression matters—especially when building coordination and encouraging use of both hands. In this video with Macari, we work on catching in standing using a clear progression: changing ball size, texture, and weight to challenge timing, coordination, and bilateral hand use. 👨🏽‍🦱 Meet Macari Macari is 18 years old and has right-sided hemiplegic cerebral palsy due to schizencephaly—a rare congenital condition that causes a cleft, or slit, or slip in the cerebral hemisphere. His involvement affects the right side of his body, and he is also legally blind in his left eye. Depending on the time of year, he receives occupational, physical, and speech therapy. His mother has worked incredibly hard to encourage use of his right arm and hand—and it shows. He is a wonderful co-instructor for demonstrating higher-level skills in individuals with hemiplegia. 🎯 What You’ll See in This Video • Catching in standing from about 5–6 feet away • Starting with a larger, bumpy ball to encourage two-handed use • Progressing to a smooth ball of similar size • Moving to smaller balls to increase difficulty • Returning to a larger basketball with added weight challenge • Use of a gentle lob to slow timing and improve success • Observation of hand positioning and strategies for control ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction and meet Macari 👋🏽 00:28 Starting with larger, bumpy ball 01:05 Transition to smooth ball 01:45 Moving to smaller ball 02:22 Smallest ball with texture 02:50 Basketball challenge 🏀 03:33 Wrap-up and key takeaway 🧠 Why This Helps This activity targets several important skills: • Standing balance with anticipation • Bilateral coordination and hand use • Visual tracking and timing • Motor planning during dynamic tasks • Functional use of the involved upper extremity Changing the ball (size, texture, and weight) allows you to adjust difficulty while keeping the task the same—making it easier to grade for success. 💡 Practical Tips • Start with larger balls to encourage two-hand use • Use textured or bumpy balls to make catching easier • Toss with a gentle arc (lob) to slow the timing • Progress to smaller balls to increase challenge • Remember: bigger is not always easier—weight matters too ⚠️ Safety Note These videos are for educational purposes and are not a replacement for in-person physical therapy. Every child is unique. Please do not try these techniques if your child’s health or motor skills differ significantly from Macari’s. (I cannot provide treatment recommendations for a child I have not personally evaluated.) 🧩 Watch the entire playlist for Macari here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjNBfzp6CbvVHNQix2UN8X02 📧 Contact [amysturkey@gmail.com](mailto:amysturkey@gmail.com) 🌐 Website [www.pediatricPTexercises.com](http://www.pediatricPTexercises.com) 🪶 Accessibility Closed captions have been reviewed and corrected. To turn on captions: Click CC To change languages: ⚙️ Settings → Subtitles/CC → Choose language or Auto-translate If captions block important details, they can be toggled off in the video player. 📚 Books by Amy Sturkey (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 🧠 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