Cerebral Palsy

[Franky D]

I have recently started working on a client who has Cerebral Palsy, he is not sensitive about it and he is always nice to work on, but since his CP only affects his right side, he always wants me to work on that side much more than the left. What I want to know is, could his CP cause more pain or discomfort in his right side? I always want to work out the knots in his left side because that is clearly where most of his motion comes from, and I have explained this to him.
I am also considering the emotional comfort he must get from having his effected side treated.

~Steph

 

[Im a girl]

Cerebral Palsy

In School one of the instructors had a client with Cerebral palsy and she used craniosacral therapy with good results. I don't know enough about either to comment though. Someone here will, though.

 

[jrsmallz88]

Cerebral Palsy

The spasms on the right side, as a result of the PC, could be causing considerable pain and restriction of motion. Spend your time where he feels the issues. Once he gathers knowledge of what you can do for him, he may be more accepting to work on the non-affected side.

 

[Kat :D]

Cerebral Palsy

Hi,
I'm new. I should probably post in introductions first, but I saw this thread and knew I could help.

I used to work almost exclusively with children and teens with cerebral palsy. I know that the side that is effected by the CP experiences pain. That's why he wants you to work on it. I'm trained in nueromuscular therapy, Swedish massage and CranioSacral therapy. I used to start out with CranioSacral therapy to help loosen up and relax the client. Then I'd use some jostling can help relax the side that is effected by the CP. Then I'd do some deep tissue work and trigger point therapy. I'd work both sides but concentrate on the areas effected by CP because those areas are in the most pain. I didn't do the exact some thing for all my clients but that's a general idea about what I used to do.

Since he is a new client you should work the side that he wants you to work for now, but also try to explain to him that working on his other side will help with his ease of motion and general daily comfort. You can try easing into just doing a little work on that side at the very end of the massage. As time passes he'll trust that you know what you're doing more and he'll be more willing to let you work on that side more.

Here's a good video I found on You Tube about Cerebral Palsy and massage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC0u...t/cerebral-palsy.html&feature=player_embedded

 

[frank7]

Cerebral Palsy

I don't know if this will help or not, but it is a link to a readable text on Physical Therapy & CP --- about 400 pages. If you don't want to click through it, there is a scroll button on the rigth hand side of the text.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/13783233/Physical-Therapy-of-Cerebral-Palsy

 

[pscreamingheagle08]

Cerebral Palsy

Thanks for the ideas! lovelynb, thanks for the video, I am not sure how much his activity would matter with CP, but he runs and swims and is a bit of a weekend warrior, so all we have done so far is deep tissue and sports.