Homework Notes:

  1. Survey
  • foot a little tight when I start moving it up and down, then gets looser – to massage feet and try gentle movements once a day.
  • a little difficult for foot to move up straight, instead moves sideways, outwards.
  • unable to move feet up
  • tightness in inner thigh when bending knee and rotating leg outwards.
  • initial tightness in bringing up dropping right hand. It becomes straight at wrist but can’t move back at first.
  • tightness in opening up the arm; tightness in inner right arm.
  • when opening the arm, the fingers also get tight at first.
  • fear of losing balance, e.g. on ball.
  • fear of the unknown, e.g. new exercises that get her out of her comfort zone.
  1. Awareness
  • massaged different parts of her body – back, feet, legs, hands, arms.
  • sandwiching and rotating her right hand slowly, starting with small oscillations. Her hand starts relaxing and opening up.
  • gentle mild rotating of her right arm at elbow joint, side to side, up and down and round. Allowing her at times to move it in the direction she wishes, which seems to be inwards. Hand/fingers relaxing as we do that. Then stretching the arm.  Initially tight, but opening a little wider with time.
  • with knees bent and both feet on my lap, I asked her to move both legs down to one side then back to the middle, with a slight push.
  1. Things to do
  • tried arching Wanja’s back on ball. She was scared and hands/arms tight.  Relaxed when I got closer to her, leaning on her body.  More relaxed on day 2.
  • tried having her sit and balance on ball as I support hips. Jemima has to also support shoulders to keep her from falling. Calms down when we make it into a game with repeated phrases or singing.  More relaxed on day 2 and able to balance with Jemima providing minimal support.
  • move feet up and down on her own. Currently able to move feet down, but not up.  Difficult for right foot.
  • move feet up and down with resistance.
  • move hand up and down when hand is flat, wrist straightened. Struggling, moving whole arm with the effort.
  • open and close hand when lower palm area and wrist are supported.