Weak Legs? Try Wall Sits with a Ball 👧🏼🟣 | Exercise Ball Activities #29

👧🏼🟣 Wall Sits with a Ball: Fast, Slow & Mid-Range Holds | Leia (Age 10) | Pediatric Physical Therapy In this video, my co-instructor Leia (age 10) and I work on wall sits with a therapy ball behind the back as part of our Ball Gymnastics series 🟣💪 Using a therapy ball at the wall adds support while still creating a strong challenge for the legs. This activity works on quadriceps, hips, and ankle strength while also encouraging graded control during lowering and rising. We demonstrate several variations: • Moving down and up quickly • Holding in mid-range for a 10-count • Slowing the descent and ascent for more control Leia quickly shows an important motor strategy: dropping fast into a deep squat is easier than controlling the middle of the movement. Hanging out around 90/90 is harder. Going more slowly is harder. Going only part of the way down toward 90/90 can make the exercise easier while still building strength. Throughout these variations, we are working on: • Quadriceps strengthening • Hip strengthening • Ankle strength and control • Graded control during descent and ascent • Postural control in supported squat • Motor planning for timing and pacing Because the wall and ball provide support, this activity allows children to practice leg strengthening in a more structured way. Changing the speed and depth changes the challenge. Often, slowing the movement reveals where control is hardest. 👧🏿 This activity may be helpful for children who: 🧒🏾 Need leg strengthening 👧🏻 Need more control lowering into a squat 👦🏽 Tend to rush through hard movements 🧑🏿‍🦱 Need practice holding in mid-range 👩🏾‍🦰 Benefit from a playful strengthening activity 🧠 A clinical takeaway I often share: Children are smart about movement. They often find the easiest motor solution quickly. In this example, moving fast and dropping deep reduces the demand of controlling mid-range. If we want more strengthening, slowing the movement and holding in the harder part of the range often tells the story. 👉🏾 This activity is part of my Ball Gymnastics Playlist, where therapy balls are used to build strength, coordination, balance, and motor planning. Watch the full playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjPlhWjeNnIY3PWbHwrSUtgN 📚 My Books for Kids & Therapists 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 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 🌍 Captions Help Everyone 🌍 I carefully review captions so more people can follow along, even if English isn’t your first language 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻👩🏾‍🤝‍👨🏼👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 To turn on captions: Click CC To change the language: Settings (⚙️) → Subtitles/CC → Auto-translate 🌐 ⏱️ Video Chapters 0:00 Intro & meet Leia 0:28 Wall sits with ball behind back 0:36 Fast wall sits 0:50 Mid-range 10-count hold 1:05 Repeat hold with arms crossed 1:18 Slow descent and ascent 1:35 Why slower and mid-range are harder 2:05 Closing message ⚠️ Important note: Sensory and motor responses vary widely between children. What is effective for one child may not be appropriate for another 👶🏿↔️👧🏻 (Please note: I cannot provide treatment recommendations for a child I have not personally evaluated.) 👩🏽‍⚕️📌