treadmill helping to lengthen stride - Cerebral Palsy Message Board

nwmom · 12-01-2007, 06:06 AM

Thought I'd pass this on to you all--we've tried all types of things to help Noah change his motor patterns from walking on his toe with his left foot. Since his SDR, he can do this, but his habit is to walk his pre-surgery way. For the last 2 weeks, we've been going to the treadmill 3 times a week and walking for just 10 minutes, alternating between fast walking and slow walking. Already, I can see him being able to take longer steps easier and sometimes getting his heel down when walking around the house and not even thinking about it. Nothing has helped him this much besides casting.
Hope this helps someone else out there!
nwmom
p.s. Noah is four years old, and running for toys on the treadmill helps. Also, holding my hand down and trying to get him to step on my hand helps him take longer steps. I take a babysitter with me and she sits on chair at back of treadmill and holds his hips while he walks to steady him while I hold things out for him to walk to. For ex, if he takes 20 long steps, he gets to hold the beanie baby cat that's stuck up in the "tree"

nwmom · 12-11-2007, 06:04 PM

p.s One other benefit of walking on the treadmill has been that he can now walk much faster than before!

Kaitlynsmom · 12-11-2007, 06:14 PM

Thanks nwmom. This is great information. I know that lengthening Kaitlyn's stride is going to be a focus for us in the future, so I'm going to keep the treadmill tip in mind!

Also, does Noah walk without any assistive device? Is this something he was doing pre-SDR? It sounds like he's really doing great!

nwmom · 12-13-2007, 07:41 PM

Noah now walks without any assisted device. Who knows what he'll need in the future for endurance and the like as he grows and changes. Hard to say. But right now, his endurance is very good. Probably because of his interest in elevators. We've taken him out to public places to do his therapy over the years, and so he's gotten a lot of exercise just walking to the elevators in malls and the like. He was using a walker to get to and from the playground at his preK school before surgery. He is not using anything now. When he gets tired, he still has a harder time getting a lengthy stride going and sometimes crouches more when tired, too. He does still wear braces on both feet (they are hinged braces and come to just above his ankles) and uses knee wraps occasionally to help stretch his hamstrings. Good luck to you, Kaitlynsmom!

KarimsMUM · 12-14-2007, 04:11 AM

You have given me the hope that I needed! I am hoping my son will get to that stage. His physio is really motivated and has suggested a stepper to help strengthen and lengthen. What are the criteria for SDR over in us? How severe does the child have to be before they will consider surgery? My son just turned four and is in a walker and also quad sticks for v short distances.