Weak Arm & Weak Leg? Train Them Together 👨🏽‍🦱⚽ | Mild Hemiplegia Pediatric PT#5

👋🏽 Hi, I’m Amy Sturkey, a retired pediatric physical therapist with over 35 years of experience. One of my favorite strategies in pediatric physical therapy is combining the weaker arm and weaker leg into the *same* activity so both sides have to work together functionally. In this video, Macari practices stepping up onto a bench leading with his involved right leg while simultaneously reaching overhead to catch a ball with both hands. 👨🏽‍🦱⚽ 👨🏽‍🦱 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, 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 • Stepping up leading with the involved right leg • Overhead reaching while balancing • Catching a larger ball with both hands • Combining arm and leg work into one task • Dynamic balance and weight shifting • Practicing motor planning during movement ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction and meet Macari 👋🏽 00:27 Activity setup 00:54 Step-up with overhead catch 01:23 Increasing challenge and coordination 01:43 Why overhead reaching is difficult 01:57 Wrap-up and key takeaway 🧠 Why This Helps This activity targets: • Strengthening of the involved leg • Activation of the involved arm during overhead reach • Bilateral coordination • Dynamic balance • Weight shifting onto the weaker side • Motor planning and timing Children and young adults with hemiplegia often avoid leading with the involved leg or reaching overhead with the weaker arm. Combining both challenges into one motivating activity can encourage more functional use of the weaker side during movement. I intentionally chose a larger, slower-moving ball to improve success while still keeping the task challenging. 💡 Practical Tips • Start with a lower step height if needed • Use a larger, easier-to-catch ball initially • Cue leading with the involved leg first • Toss the ball slightly overhead to encourage reaching • Allow extra processing time for timing and coordination ⚠️ 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 🌐 Website 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