Trunk Rotation for Functional Scoliosis in Cerebral Palsy 💙 | Pediatric Physical Therapy #9

🌟 Welcome Back! Meet Jack — Trunk Rotation for Functional Scoliosis 💙 Pediatric Physical Therapy #9 I’m so glad you’re here! Please meet my wonderful co-instructor Jack 👦🏼, who was 12 years old when we filmed this session, along with his sister Emory 👧🏼. Jack has significant involvement (GMFCS Level V) due to cerebral palsy. He also has a seizure disorder, cortical vision impairment, scoliosis, and complex medical needs. Jack 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. ✨ In today’s video, we focus on trunk rotation to address functional scoliosis, specifically targeting Jack’s right rib hump, where the ribs are rotated posteriorly. The goal is to gently encourage the rib cage to rotate forward while maintaining as much upright posture as possible. Rotation is one of the last trunk movements to develop. While flexion and extension typically come first, lateral flexion and rotation require more advanced postural control. Because of this, much of the movement is assisted, with Jack actively participating as much as he can. To support active engagement, Jack reaches for a motivating toy placed to the side. I use my arm and trunk to guide the rotation, adjusting hand placement to reduce collapsing into flexion and to promote a more upright, functional movement pattern. 🕒 Video Chapters 0:00 Introduction & overview 0:14 Understanding Jack’s scoliosis & rib rotation 0:30 Why rotation develops later 0:43 Setup: upright sitting & toy placement 1:04 Assisted trunk rotation toward the toy 1:32 Supporting the rib cage to guide rotation 1:58 Adjusting hand placement to reduce collapse 2:27 Why mobility matters in functional scoliosis 2:57 Final thoughts & continued progression 3:03 See more videos with Jack & Emory 3:16 Subscribe & notifications 🎯 What we’re working on 🌀 Trunk rotation out of flexion 🦴 Rib cage mobility for functional scoliosis 🪑 Upright sitting posture during movement 🧸 Motivation through purposeful reaching 👧🏼 Sibling inclusion Emory’s involvement reflects something many families live every day: siblings often become natural motivators, communicators, and partners in care. Including siblings honors real family dynamics and reminds us that therapy does not happen in isolation. 🌍 Who this video is for This video may be helpful for: 👨🏽‍👩🏼‍👧 Families navigating complex medical needs 👩🏾‍⚕️👨🏼‍⚕️ Therapists working with children at GMFCS IV–V 👩🏽‍🏫🧑🏿‍🏫 Educators and caregivers supporting inclusive movement 🧑🏾‍🦽 Anyone interested in respectful, relationship-based therapy ⚠️ Important note These activities are specific to Jack and his medical needs and are shared 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 🌍 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! 📚 My Children’s & Professional Physical Therapy 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 “Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Hips” https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 “Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Knees” http://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 “Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles” https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD ✨ Watch More Videos with Jack Jack’s Playlist → https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjM8cf4VN1tDJr3WVctwiPSI