Day 37

Some pics to look back at later in the project to compare to.

Day 36

Showing off by standing with knee immobilizers and ONE walking stick!!
And whose flat feet are those?? Could our huge obstacle of plantarflexion (toes pointed) now become an issue of dorsiflexion (beyond flat foot, over extended beyond the ankle)? Apparently this is signature for kids with diplegia but usually after heel cord surgery!! Did you read that? Her body just may be doing what is typical of someone with diplegia who HAD surgery!! She has had no surgery! Her brain made a switch or something! So time to start working out those calf muscles (which she currently has nearly none). So 36 days of taking minerals and has similar results to what one would hope surgery would achieve. Amazing!!!

 

Day 35

Look who's standing using walking sticks and knee immobilizers! Nice balance!!

Day 33

Day 33: N's hamstring stretch felt easier than ever. Still amazed how good of a stretch we are able to get now.

Day 32

DAY 32: N's core strength in PT was noticeably increased by her ability to continuously hold a tall kneeling position while moving her arms in and out playing Zoom Ball. She also pulled herself up to the bathroom counter and walked her self in closer. She remained there washing her hands for approx 5 min. Her feet were flat and her crouching was minimal. Impressive improvements!!

Day 31

DAY 31: Without braces or shoes, N used the couch and coffee table to walk to me. Yes, she is still crouching some but her feet looked nearly flat and her attempt was very good and improved

During week 4 N stopped wearing AFOs with heal lifts and is now wearing FLAT SMOs. Her therapist has suggested we hold off ordering new AFOs for her because of her rapid progress and use these in the interm. Her therapist also removed the chest strap from stander requiring her to rely completely on her own torso stregnth. She looked amazing in her stander today. So good it brought tears to my eye!

Day 25

Week 4 and N is ready to ditch her AFOs with over an inch heel lift to FLAT SMOs!!

While there is some debate over the use of heal lifts, it is the path we have agreed to take in N's therapy. With N's great spasticity, shortened muscles, and hamstrings, the heel lifts were intended to allow her to gradually be "lowered" as her body was ready. She needed to also learn to shift her weight into her heels while standing, not on her toes. It may seem odd to have heel lifts if it is not how you have known to treat this issue but we often where shoes with a small heel, so it really is not so different than how we often normally stand.

In any case, the goal is to get her to be able to stand with flat feet without compromising her posture and causing her to crouch further than she already had been. This has been an ongoing process working towards this goal, one we saw to not be reached for a very long time most recently...until the PGP project. Within 4 WEEKS, not months, not years, N was ready to lose the heel lifts...not gradually but completely!! We truly could not be more amazed and excited!!

My husband has sent me these pictures, I've been out of the country for a week and therefore have not been able to monitor N's progress through week 4 like I wish I could have. But I will be home tomorrow and look forward to checking her flexability and strength. I will be sure to update!