3.5 years old patient with DCD and Developmental Delay.
1. Patient climbs the stairs reciprocally, using her right hand for assistance.
2. The patient goes down in a 'step to' technique with her right leg leading, assisted with both handrails. To compensate a weakness in her left leg she rotates her right hip, which increases stability. This ensures a strong base to land on in case her left knee collapses.
3. The PT holds the patient’s right leg to prevent internal rotation compensations.
4. The PT raises the stairs' height. Due to the increased difficulty, the patient rotates both legs. The PT holds both legs to prevent internal rotation compensations.
5. The PT uses her hands to prevent internal rotation compensation, and guides the patient to descend reciprocally.
6. The patient was asked to climb without using her hands. She uses a fixating technique (lifting her arms and fixating them) which helps stabilize the body. This helps the lower extremities to cope with the task.
7. The patient goes down in a 'step to' technique with her right leg leading. She uses two types of compensations: fixating her upper extremities for balance, and rotating her right hip internally to achieve better stabilization.
8. Patient was asked to climb up and down sideways. She uses both hands, and rotates her body so that eventually her feet are facing up. The rotation helps her avoid the required task. When descending, the patient rotates only her right leg slightly forward to avoid descending sideways.
A Special thanks to the "Ha'gan Ha'shikumi" and their amazing staff, for sharing their knowledge, thoughts and experience.
Video Guide 8