Weak Core? Try This Sit-Up Progression 👨🏾‍🦱💪🏽 | Athetoid Cerebral Palsy PT #11

👋🏽 Hi, I’m Amy Sturkey, a retired pediatric physical therapist with over 35 years of experience. I’m continuing this series with my co-instructor, Ne’Quan 👨🏾‍🦱💙 Ne’Quan has spastic athetoid cerebral palsy, and I was his physical therapist from age 5 through age 26. When we began filming this playlist, he was 27 — and at this point, we are simply dear friends. Although Ne’Quan is an adult, the motor challenges he experiences are the same challenges I address across the lifespan. The strategies used in this series apply to young children and adults alike — what changes is how the task is presented. With younger clients 👧🏽👦🏼, these skills are often built through play. With Ne’Quan, we work directly using verbal cues, repetition, task progression, and long-established trust. 🧠 What This Video Focuses On In this session, we work on a progression of sit-ups to target core strength and control. Individuals with athetoid cerebral palsy often have fluctuating tone, making it difficult to maintain a stable center. Because of this, building core strength is a key starting point in many sessions. I demonstrate a simple progression from easiest to hardest: • Sit-ups with legs straight (allows use of hip flexors) • Sit-ups with knees bent (reduces hip flexor assistance) • Arms straight out in front (easier upper body position) • Arms crossed on the chest (increases difficulty) • Hands behind the head (most challenging position) We typically complete about 10 repetitions at the beginning of a session. You’ll notice that I stabilize Ne’Quan’s legs to help him succeed with the movement. 🧠 Why This Matters Core strength is essential for: • Sitting balance and control • Transitional movements (lying to sitting) • Functional mobility • Improving overall stability for movement Without a stable core, many other movements become much more difficult. 💡 Therapy Tips A few simple strategies can help: • Start with the easiest variation to allow success • Gradually increase difficulty by changing leg and arm position • Provide stabilization as needed • Focus on repetition to build strength and control Even small improvements in control can make a big difference over time. 📌 About Ne’Quan • Walks in daily life with someone nearby for safety 🚶🏾‍♂️ • Does not speak; communicates using gestures, signs, an alphabet board, and a switch-accessed communication device 💬📱 • Strong receptive language skills • Limited hand control affecting fine-motor and self-help tasks 🤲🏽 • Functionally most similar to GMFCS Level III ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction & Meet Ne’Quan 00:08 Ne’Quan Introduces Himself 00:20 Background & Relationship 00:48 Why Core Work Matters 01:10 Sit-Ups – Legs Straight 01:37 Sit-Ups – Knees Bent 01:57 Arms Straight Forward 02:16 Arms Crossed on Chest 02:28 Hands Behind Head (Hardest) 02:32 Closing 🎥 Watch All of Ne’Quan’s Videos (Playlist) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjNPEoC-A5MaSjxfr_omXGDS 🌐 More Resources Website: https://www.pediatricPTexercises.com Facebook: Pediatric Physical Therapy Exercises Email: amysturkey@gmail.com ⚠️ Disclaimer This video is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. It would be unethical for me to provide specific treatment recommendations without personally evaluating your child or client. 💬 Captions / Accessibility I’ve reviewed and corrected the captions for clarity. To turn on captions: click CC. To change caption language: Settings → Subtitles/CC → choose a language or Auto-translate 🌍 📚 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 Pediatric Physical Therapy Exercise Books Pediatric Physical Therapy Exercises for the Hips — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 Pediatric Physical Therapy Exercises for the Knees — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 Pediatric Physical Therapy Exercises for the Ankles — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD