May 15, 2022

Building balance and strength

     Amaya has continued to go to physical therapy twice a week. The main focus has been on building balance and strength. The therapist has had her do resisted gait strengthening; she does exercises while pulling 24 pounds that are attached to her with a cable. This is a great way to build her strength. She has also started to do band work; she's got one at home the she does with her nightly pt homework. 

    Amaya's pt homework has continued to increase. It takes Amaya about 30 minutes each day to get through all her exercises. Plus the additional walking that she does throughout the day. She walks around the house without crutches or a walker. She's gotten steadier and more confident each day! At school she is continuing walking with her two crutches. Beside walking around campus she also walks in town about once a week (her school has open campus for lunch so this is a great way for Amaya to walk and do some PT). 

    Amaya has been improving day by day! She's still experiencing some soreness in her hip and knee but the therapist says that's to be expected after not using it for three months. And its a side effect from building the muscles. 

    Today the therapist measured the range of motion in Amaya's knee to see how it's doing. She reminded us that once you begin to build muscle its typical to lose some of the range of motion. Amaya had 7 degrees of hyperextension (straightening) and then 143 in bending! That's the same that it was two weeks ago! That's great news! It means Amaya hasn't lost any of her ROM! I know thats' a lot of explanation points but I'm excited, happy and proud. Amaya's "rocking it" as her therapist says so she's ow dropping down to PT once a week. We'll continue to get monthly x-ryas to monitor her bone development.

    Thank you all for the well wishes, love and support. 

Here's some of the band work she's doing. This is the band she's got at home and uses for these stretches.

High knees down the hall
Side lifts with the blue band

Sweet, silly Amaya.
Lowering and lifting herself onto the yoga ball while using her left leg. 
Side stepping while lifting 24 lbs.

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