How to Stretch the Hip External Rotators in Someone With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder that afflicts many Americans--as many as two children per 1,000 born in the United States each year will have CP. Between 75 and 80 percent of people with CP have the spastic type, which causes their muscles to spasm uncontrollably. These spasms can be very painful, and can cause severe stiffness and limited range of motion. Doctors prescribe medications to control the muscle spasms, and physical therapists use stretching exercises to improve range of motion in people with spastic CP. The hip is one area physical therapists focus on with stretching exercises.

Things You'll Need

• A firm bed

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Instructions

• 1

  Have the person lie flat on his back on the bed.

• 2

  Help the person position his leg so that his thigh is perpendicular to the bed and his knee is bent at a 90-degree angle; his shin should be parallel with the bed. Leave the other leg lying flat on the bed.

• 3

  Grasp his knee. Slowly and gently move the top of his thigh toward his belly as far as it will freely go.

• 4

  Move the outside of his thigh gently toward the bed until the thigh is at about a 45- to 60-degree angle with the bed.

• 5

  Return the leg to its original position, then slowly straighten the leg out and lower it onto the bed.

• 6

  Repeat with the other leg.