The year started with us looking into fascia release for Sarah-Hope. One of the wonders of her early years was the natural adaption of her body. One of the scary things going forward into her primary school years is how these adaptive patterns of movement have placed so much pressure on her body and how this can increase physical abnormality if you don't intervene.
The main problem with her legs is that she has been knee walking and doesn't stand on her feet other than for a quick transfer... her hamstrings had become so contracted that her knees couldn't straighten much more than 90 degrees.
The fascia, sheeth around the muscle, gets knotted and doesn't allow the muscle it's usual freedom. It can be rather painful to release but it is so important for the body - not only Sarah-Hope's legs but her back and neck too with all the bending and reaching they do without having arms to help.
A new physio had started working with Sarah-Hope in lockdown and trained Richard in this massage since he was now working at home. Every week she was blown away by how Sarah-Hope's body was responding to Richard's massage. Literally, the angles of her knees were changing!
We also had to try wake up her quads and get them working again...
She also started working with an orthotist to get a full leg brace, with metal hinges made. This would provide fuller support for when she stood in the standing frame. There was also the idea that she may need to wear these at night, or for four hours at a time so that her skin could stretch.
I have always been resistant to this idea because I couldn't get my head around fighting with Sarah-Hope at night to have braces on when I just want her to sleep peacefully... or strapping her into a stand for hours. To be honest this has come up before - the idea of Sarah-Hope being in full leg braces - and I have probably resisted it the most.
At the start of lockdown, she was struggling to stand for 10 seconds... and five months later, due to physio input and Richard doing regular fascia release, she started walking!
Here is a video that Richard put together of her progress made from May - September 2020:
Once this incredible milestone was reached, we wanted to make the most of it! Walking for a minute or two inside was easy enough with level ground. But what if Sarah-Hope wanted to walk outside? Given the uneven surfaces and how tiring it would be to build up this capacity, the physio recommended we get a grillo walker to support her.
It arrived just in time for our December trip to Knysna. Cousins Katie and Nicola were so sweet partaking in this daily walk with us, and even helping get her orthotics off her at the end.
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