CP Empower: a six week course to get you moving and learn all you need to know about the benefits of exercise whilst living with Cerebral Palsy
“Getting older with CP might feel like an uphill battle but I hope that this exercise class will challenge and invigorate you in a fun and supportive environment to push the boundaries on what you thought was possible”
— Bex Walters, Neuro Physiotherapist
Each week our Highly Specialist Neurological Physiotherapist, Bex Walters, has designed a class focused on different exercises tailored to areas that can be problematic as you age with Cerebral Palsy.
Week 1:
Principles of exercise and ageing with CP
Changes to the body and your ability can occur with ageing and is often referred to as post impairment syndrome. Week one will focus on this and how to best approach exercise whatever your ability, alongside national guidelines.
Week 2:
Changes in walking
Walking can change for everyone across their lifespan; balance can worsen or we become unable to walk as far as we used to. These changes can occur much earlier with cerebral palsy. In week two you will learn why that is and what you can do to try and reduce the impact of these changes.
Week 3:
Fatigue and the benefits of exercise for improving efficiency
Fatigue is often a hidden but debilitating symptom of cerebral palsy. It’s something you may not even have realised you’re contending with. Week three will validate your fatigue and give you some tools to help manage it, and improve your quality of life.
Week 4:
Falls and optimising bone health
Do you trip or fall so regularly that you don’t register you’re doing it? In most cases the answer will be yes. In week four we’ll cover what you can do to help reduce trips and falls and how to optimise the strength of your bones, to limit the impact of falling.
Week 5:
Pain, arthritis and improving the stability around your joints
Three quarters of adults with cerebral palsy suffer from pain. In week five we answer the questions, what is pain and why do you get it? We’ll discuss different ways to help manage your pain, allowing you to get back to enjoying the things you want to do.
Week 6:
Depression and the effects endorphins have on your mood
Despite the obvious low mood from the last year, adults with cerebral palsy have been found to have a higher incidence of anxiety and depression. Exercise, among other things, is one way to help improve this without the need for medication.
These one hour sessions will combine education and physio-led mixed ability exercise designed to guide and challenge you. Each week you can expect 40 minutes of varied and lively physical activity, alongside 20 minutes of interactive learning on the topics outlined above.
Before booking to attend the course, we need you to complete this assessment form to ensure it’s suitable for you!