Why Cerebral Palsy Patients need Strength Training?

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term that encompasses a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions, causing physical disability in human development, largely in the various areas of body movement. People, who suffers from cerebral palsy has difficulty with movement, seeing, hearing, thinking and learning. CP can be compared to diabetes as both of them don’t have a cure – in other words, it is a lifelong disease. If anyone, want to be made independent, it is possible only if the prime cause of this condition dealt with, which is strengthening of the muscles.

There are lots of things that a person with this condition needs to learn to live on their own. To help a person to move, strength training or resistive training should be given to them. This exercise increases both muscle strength and flexibility. Also, prevents atrophy of muscles from occurring.

For people with no CP, walking and moving freely is just a snap. The reason behind this is that the muscles and tendons were stretched as they performed daily functions. However, that would be too impossible with people suffering from CP. They have a hard time performing the day-to-day actions because the muscles grow slower than the bones which results in a serious complication called contracture . This is where cerebral palsy training takes place. Strength training helps the muscle become stronger and flexible so that the chance of contracture decreases.

Likewise, leg muscles needed to walk and to have a good posture. But people with cerebral palsy have weaker legs so they can’t stand for a long time. Also, they may develop “ scissor gait “, which is a condition in which they will walk on their toes with knees bent inward. Again, strength training plays a vital role in preventing this. Besides, cerebral palsy training also helps in improving a person’s gross motor skills such as sitting, standing and walking which are a part and parcel of any person’s daily activities.

Cerebral palsy training helps people to increase to walk faster, walk efficiently, motor activity and reduce spasticity. As the training continues, the muscle starts gaining strength and flexibility which will aid until they have a normal body movement.