Changing My Perspective on Stretching With Cerebral Palsy

Richard_Scope

I’ve lived with cerebral palsy my entire life, which means I’ve lived with tight leg muscles and a certain degree of spasticity for my entire life.

My favourite metaphors to help describe the sensation of tight muscles to others include imagining being stuck in a pair of skinny jeans or feeling like my leg muscles are twisted up like a pretzel. 

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of lying on the floor with my left leg on someone’s shoulder so my tight hamstrings could be stretched out. To be clear: I hated this. By the time I was 5, I had figured out ways I could cheat the system like pushing my hips off the floor or squirming so I wouldn’t have to be held in that position. My attempts didn’t last long, but I usually tried to put up some kind of fight. I’ll be the first to admit I was not the easiest kid to work with, but stretching was rarely ever negotiable.

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Have your attitudes towards physiotherapy and exercise changed? What would you tell the younger you?