Choreographic therapeutic gymnastics. A guy with cerebral palsy from Shymkent mastered wheelchair dancing and became a champion

The inclusive festival “Spiritualization”, which will take place on August 29 in the Hermitage Garden, brings together various artists. Not only those who will perform in beautiful suits on the stage. But also beginners who are just preparing for their first premieres and want to see how experienced artists with physical disabilities dance. For newcomers to inclusive dance, the festival will provide role models, inspiration, and self-confidence.

Participants of the parent-child inclusive studio will definitely come to the festival “Dancing with the Whole Family” by the Center for Sociocultural Animation “Inspiration”. They are just learning to dance and diligently getting acquainted with the experience of other artists. In the new academic year The studio will show the audience its first dance, which has been rehearsing for several months. Of course, presenting the result of your work is very important. But weekly workouts are equally important. By dancing together, parents and their children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities learn a lot, not just freedom of movement.

« We have universal choreography, with movements that are adapted for children with different features, be it cerebral palsy, Down syndrome or something else,” says studio teacher Elena Mikhailina. – We stage our first dance with the participation of about twenty people, each child dances with their mother, or with their grandmother, or with their father. Of course, at first the parents were embarrassed to participate. But then they understood our idea - they carefully support their child in dancing and at the same time give him the maximum freedom of movement that he is capable of. This right attitude carried over to ordinary life».

Mothers, fathers and grandmothers who come to dance with their children no longer worry about inaccurately performed movements. They look at themselves in the mirror of the rehearsal room, like real dancers. And they try to achieve results. And they become an example for their children. And they better understand their characteristics. “Through interaction in dance, parents begin to relate to their children differently. The doom that a child will not have a full life due to disability disappears. We see that if you practice and work on yourself, you can move and dance, despite physical or mental limitations,” notes Elena Mikhailina.

After rehearsals, children’s abilities in Everyday life. Jumping or walking on your toes - these familiar movements are not always easy for those who have leg spasticity or other features. But fun activities with music and a kind teacher, together with other children and with parents, sometimes help as much as medicine. Recently, the mother of one girl shared her joy: after classes, her daughter began to control her body better and now climbs the stairs herself, but before she could not. So inclusive dance is about achievements not only in art, but also in life.

A 27-year-old guy with cerebral palsy by example showed how to achieve success in what you love. Ermek Kalymbetov from Shymkent became the champion of Kazakhstan in sports ballroom dancing in wheelchairs, his achievements include participation in the world tournament. The guy shared how he overcomes difficulties and performs tricks in a wheelchair.

As a child, Ermek dreamed of becoming pop singer. But health problems made themselves felt. The guy started playing sports.

"I wanted to strengthen my body and spirit. In 2009, I started wheelchair racing, participated in competitions in Kazakhstan, took first and second places. In 2012, I had my first foreign experience - I went to Dubai for a tournament, but there was no place I didn't get it because I came last. This really upset me. I started thinking about what else I could do, what I could succeed in. I was advised to go to sports and ballroom dancing, where you can dance in wheelchairs. And since 2016 I have been doing this professionally,” the guy said.

Ermek admitted that at first it was hard for him - his body did not obey, he did not fall into rhythm and rhythm. The guy began to doubt that he would ever learn to dance. But persistence and daily rehearsals did their job.

“I was inspired by participation in the Asian Freestyle Championships, which was held in Taipei. I took first place there. This tournament gave me a ticket to the World Championships in Belgium. I managed to take fifth place. I dream of someday taking first place at the World Championships, I want to see the flag and hear the anthem of our country."

In addition to dancing, Ermek works in rehabilitation center for people with disabilities. There he organizes entertainment activities, is responsible for cultural leisure.

IN free time The guy is into acrobatics. So, one day in the hall he climbed a rope into wheelchair. Now Ermek has a new goal - to climb the rope all the way to the ceiling.

One of the forms of group exercises in therapeutic gymnastics is choreographic gymnastics, proposed by O. A. Sternik in 1970. Its undoubted advantage is the high positive emotional stress that appears in children, the desire to learn to dance the same or almost the same way as healthy children, the pleasure received in the learning process. Approximate types of choreographic gymnastics.
1. Exercises for mastering the posture that is the starting point for each dance. Starting position at the counter, in front of the mirror, the hand clasps the bar of the counter, four fingers on top, the thumb covers it from below, legs slightly apart, feet resting fully, head in the middle position. The child should, holding the stand with his hands, tilt his torso back, while keeping his head in the middle position, without throwing it back. The methodologist corrects the position of the head.
The spine bends intensely, the legs should not bend at the knee joints.
Correction correct position the torso and pelvis occurs using acupressure.
2. Learning the elements of the squat dance.
Holding the stand with his hands in the same position, the child should squat down, then straighten up. This exercise can be very difficult to master in cases where there is insufficiency of the hip extensors and large abductors of the hips. Their uneven weakness causes pelvic distortion.
The methodologist corrects the movements, indicating to the child which muscles need to be tensed.
3. Elements spanish dance: a) from the same starting position, the child, standing on one leg, slowly raises the other, arching his back and holding in this position for 30-60 s; b) from the same starting position - jumping on two legs at once. The goal of this exercise is to bounce on your toes. Children with cerebral palsy have difficulty jumping, even with the support of their hands. Often they replace this movement with jerking movements of the pelvis without lifting their legs off the floor. The trainer must teach the child appropriate movement patterns using the passive-active method; c) the starting position is the same as in point b) - learning to jump on one leg. Elements of Spanish and Russian dance.
4. The child stands sideways at the counter, holding it with one hand, legs slightly apart. The opposite hand rests on the side. The objective of the exercise is maximum extension of the spine; from the same starting position as in point 3, a, when extending the spine, the child should take a step in place to the music. The methodologist monitors the position of the pelvis and spine, correcting it with acupressure.
5. The child stands at the counter, holding it with both hands, legs spread wide apart. The methodologist ensures that the spread of the legs is equal on both sides.
The purpose of the exercise is to jump in place, with the legs spread and closed.
6. Elements of Russian and Spanish dance: a) starting position standing sideways at the counter, legs slightly apart, one arm resting on the counter, the other extended at the shoulder joint and elbow joint. The child holds a handkerchief in his fingers. The purpose of the exercise is to lean to the side and make waving movements with the handkerchief. The rotation of the shoulders should be uniform, without compensatory movements of the torso and pelvis; b) the starting position is the same as in point a. The second arm is extended and extended forward, the hand and forearm are in a pronated position. To a certain rhythm, supination is performed - pronation of the forearm, hand and extended fingers in different positions of the head.
The torso is kept straight at all times.
7. The child stands with his back to the counter, holding it with his arms extended back. The head is in a middle position, the legs are slightly apart.
The task is to hang the body on outstretched arms while keeping the head in the correct position.
8. Elements of Spanish and Uzbek dance:
a) initial position sideways to the stand, similar to that occupied in exercise 10. The methodologist practices clicking with fingers I-II of an outstretched arm, the arm is extended in all joints, at different positions of the head;
b) the starting position is the same as in point a, the free hand rests on the side. The task is to squat to a certain rhythm, with a change in the tempo of the squat;
c) the starting position is the same as in point a. The task is to squat with maximum abduction of the pelvis back, hyperlordosis;
d) the starting position is the same as in point a. The child stands completely on one foot, putting weight on the heel. The second leg is bent at the hip and knee joints, with the toe of the foot pulled down as far as possible.
The exercise is performed on the count: “one”, “two”, “three”; on the count of “three” - the leg is lowered and placed on the supporting leg. Then the same exercise is repeated with support on the second leg;
e) the starting position is the same as in point a. Counting: “one”, “two”, “three”; “one”, “two”, “three” the child stomps one foot, then the other.
9. Several children (3-4) stand sideways to the counter, legs slightly apart, holding the counter with one hand, placing their free hand on the shoulder of the person in front. Counting “one”, “two”, a step is taken in place, then jumps on one, then on the other leg.
10. The starting position is the same as in paragraph 3; the supporting leg stands on a full foot, the second leg is bent at the hip and knee joints at an angle of 90°. Counting: “one”, “two”, children extend the leg at the knee joint by 15-20°, holding it for 30-60 s in this position. Then the angle changes and the leg is again fixed in the accepted position.
In this way, exercises designed to correct posture, defective settings in the joints of the limbs are practiced in numerous variations and, what is especially important, mobility, active motor skills, and the ability to switch from one movement to another are trained (Fig. 42).

In this regard, musical accompaniment is an important therapeutic tool that promotes physical activity.
After practicing individual elements of the dance, you should move on to teaching dancing, taking into account the child’s capabilities: children who can stand, but for whom it is still difficult to move, learn to dance while standing, with predominant hand movements ( Indian dances), then dancing, which may involve slow, smooth walking, again with maximum use of arm movements, etc.
Learning to dance should not be hampered by existing deformities or severe postural disorders. In the process of work they are gradually corrected.

Criteria for the effectiveness of rehabilitation therapy for motor disorders

The criterion for the effectiveness of rehabilitation therapy for motor disorders is the transition from one level of motor development to another (good result) or improvement in the ability to move within the same level as the child had before treatment (satisfactory result).
The following levels of motor development are distinguished, regardless of the child’s age.
1. Absence of congenital motor reflexes or their deep delay, the presence (or pathological activity) of tonic reflexes, lack of development of installation reflexes, voluntary motor skills.
2. The presence of some basic congenital motor reflexes, as well as tonic (cervical and labyrinthine) reflexes, which the child begins to overcome. The beginning of the development of basic attitudinal reflexes; the child begins to sit (with or without support), maintains the given sitting position, but does not stand or maintain a standing position with support.
3. Only residual tonic reflexes are observed: adjustment reflexes extend to the upper limbs and torso. Manual skill emerges. Maintains the assigned posture while sitting and standing, but there is no torso of the body yet or it is insufficient. The development of manual skills continues, he begins to draw, and master the first elements of writing. Stepping movements are incorrect. Stiffness in the joints of the lower extremities. There remains a residual influence of tonic reflexes on the muscles of the lower extremities, and contractures form in them.
4. Alignment reflexes are developed, he walks with support or on his own, with pathological alignment of the lower extremities, the presence of contractures and deformities (half-bent knees and hip joints legs or the phenomenon of hyperextension in the knee joints with equinovarus and valgus position of the feet), manual skill is inferior due to the pronation-flexion position of the forearm, hands and fingers, but the child overcomes it, although with difficulty - writes, sculpts, draws.
5. Sits and walks independently or with a stick, with moderate contractures or in the absence thereof, writes, draws without pathological attitudes in the hands, but movements are awkward and slow.
6. Walks independently, without support, gait is normal. Voluntary hand movements are age appropriate.
When assessing the gradual development of the function of the muscles involved in the work indicated in table. 4, the muscles that fix the body position, necessary to perform these works, and postural reflexes are not considered.
Meanwhile, the child’s mastery of these positions is as difficult as it is a necessary task, the mastery of which in the process of work occurs much faster and more successfully than in physical therapy classes.

Conclusion

The work of restoring the motor functions of a child suffering from cerebral palsy is extremely complex and must be carried out systematically over a number of years.
It requires a lot of patience and endurance both from the little patient and from the one who works with him. There is no doubt that the greatest effectiveness is achieved if an experienced physical therapy methodologist works with the child. However, on the one hand, physical therapy methodologists working in regular neurological, orthopedic, and pediatric hospitals are not always familiar with the section of work under consideration; on the other hand, methodologists cannot devote as much time to the child as is necessary for full-fledged rehabilitation work - 30- 40 minutes a day.
And finally, 75-80% of children cannot receive sanatorium treatment or treatment in one of the hospitals every year. Therefore, in a family where a child with cerebral palsy is growing up, there must be a person who is, to one degree or another, familiar with physical therapy and massage.
This book will help you acquire the necessary knowledge in this regard and help your child.
The main condition for the effectiveness of physical therapy is work in terms of consistent ontogenetic development of motor skills, timeliness, completeness and rationality of correction of motor defects in all forms of the disease.

ASTANA, April 29 – Sputnik, Sergey Kim. Armangul walks on crutches, and this is difficult for her. Because almost all the load is on the hands, and the hands don’t always obey well. For 21 years now, she has been struggling with her body every day - this is truly exhausting work. But then Armangul gets into the stroller, and she does it out of principle only here, in a small hall on the attic floor of one of the Almaty commercial buildings. On the street and at home, she still prefers crutches that are heavy for moving: according to her, in order to prevent her body from getting used to the sitting position.

© Sputnik / Sergey Kim

And in the stroller she dances. Armangul has been practicing paradancing for two years.

“I came here in 2016, at the end of autumn. Before, I didn’t have such a thought that I would dance. I just wanted more friends, to expand my social circle. Then I slowly started training. And soon I began to see the result,” she says.

A little warm-up with music. It can be seen that she makes movements that are easy for others, with maximum concentration. But he does! The changes did not occur on the first day of classes, or even a month later. To better understand what Armangul has to overcome: only after six months of daily training was she able to straighten her collar, which she had never been able to do - her arms simply did not rise above her shoulders.

“Suddenly I thought: “Let me try, maybe I can…” I was shocked - it happened for the first time in, roughly speaking, 20 years!” - Armangul laughs. Before that, her collar was adjusted by friends and relatives - upon request.

© Sputnik / Sergey Kim

But behind the laughter of this cheerful girl are years of confusion and even apathy.

Daken Turebekova, the girl’s coach, tries to be strict during classes. At the same time, it’s hard not to notice: her gaze betrays some kind of special, restrained care of a sports mentor.

In fact, says Turebekova’s mentor, the story of an insecure girl who first crossed the threshold of a dance studio is like a miracle - if you don’t know how much effort and time they put into their favorite business to achieve the most imperceptible, at first glance, result.

© Sputnik / Sergey Kim

“When Armangul arrived, she didn’t sit in the stroller right away: “I never turned the wheels!” She just sat and couldn’t reach the wheels. I said: “Sorry, dear! Want? Let's do it!" Even to reach one wheel - it took us so much time! For about a month she came and sat on a stool, looked at others, compared and said: "They do it, but I can't! I have a completely different diagnosis!” But I once said: “Yes, you have the most difficult diagnosis. But if you want, everything will happen!” says Turebekova.

The coach had to read a mountain of literature about cerebral palsy to understand what he was dealing with. Now, it seems, some doctors can learn her skills. She asks the ward to raise her hand up. The hand hangs halfway, but Turebekova begins to tap her palm with her fingers - from below. The hand continues to move. Another series of taps - a new segment has been completed.

© Sputnik / Sergey Kim

“I give a signal to her brain,” the woman explains her actions.

Now Armangul remembers with a smile what was the cause of tears in the very recent past.

"I saw the results of other guys who want to change something in themselves, to live a full life, and I trained hard, a lot. Then I had pain at night. There was a period when I thought that nothing would work out. I cried. But I still came equally. Because everyone loved me here, and I loved everyone too. Physically, the body changes very much. Previously, sometimes, in order to take a step, I had to first fall, then get up, and then continue to walk. Now I can walk completely freely, I don’t fall at all, I’m proud of it. I’m not late for pedestrian crossing“Before I always didn’t have time: there are different drivers, they could send me to hell,” she says.

1 / 5

© Sputnik / Sergey Kim

Actually, Armangul came to this dance studio at the invitation of the coach, she wrote on social networks. But it was rather a cautious proposal with probationary period. Now Daken Turebekova can show all his cards.

"A month passed. I thought she would leave. Many people do this. Why don’t I immediately start working in full force? Many come, you begin to put your soul into it, after a week or two the person simply turns away and leaves - he is not in the mood to fight. And I was wondering: she walks one week, walks the second, walks the third... she walks for a month! And one fine day she says: “Can I talk to you? Just tell me honestly: “Will I succeed?” I say: “What do you think?” She replies: “I don’t believe it, that’s all.” they said that nothing would work." We hugged and cried. We remember this so easily now..." adds the paradance coach.

Daken Turebekova is one of the country's main coaches in this sport.

© Sputnik / Sergey Kim

Finally, I ask Armangul if she has any achievements in what she loves.

“My main achievement is that I dance,” she answers my careless, even inappropriate question.

The twenty-ninth of April is International Dance Day.