ABOUT CALM
Why is the physical movement therapy from CALM important?
This therapy is based on the premise that without being given a signal to do so, muscles and tendons will not move. A muscle sat in isolation from the nervous system will get steadily weaker. We learn, and therefore form movement patterns, through repetitive movements performed over and over again (think of the phrase "it’s like riding a bike"). These repetitive movements create neural pathways that allow us to form habits that stay with us as long as we use them - walking is a great example.
Any injury or illness that results in damage to these neural pathways means that the muscles responsible for the movement are no longer able to coordinate properly.
Our brains, being wonderfully adaptive, when given the right stimulus can re-form these lost neural pathways. It is sometimes referred to as our brains being "plastic". This plasticity allows for movements to be relearned. The plasticity of a child’s brain is especially receptive to this type of training and therefore significant improvements in capability can result.
Based on that idea, any joint that is affected by injury, illness or disease can suffer from a lack of musculoskeletal support. When joint stability is compromised, injury risk is increased, pain in the joint can increase and movement can be reduced. The result of this is reduced confidence and reduced activity levels leading to even less joint stability as the musculoskeletal system weakens further. This is why this therapy is so beneficial.
How will it benefit my child?
Think about how easy it is for a child to learn a new language when they are growing up versus the difficulty an adult would have as they get older. This is the same with movements.
Children want to be active – they want to play sports, play with their friends and enjoy life to the fullest. With conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, childhood strokes, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and so on, many of these things that are usually taken for granted can become problematic. We cannot cure anything, but here at CALM, through various specific exercises and stretches, we can provide children with much needed improvements in strength and coordination, improving the stability of the joints and thus greatly increasing confidence and quality of life.
The key to what we do differently is that the methods used during the sessions are delivered in a fun, non-clinical setting and are tailored specifically to each child’s needs and capabilities. As well as physical benefits, this approach allows the children to develop confidence in their own abilities which has huge crossovers in both personal and social development.
CALM works with the children to provide the most effective and engaging methods in the sessions, talking to both the children and the parents to see what helps them and makes the biggest difference.
Plus we make it fun – the rehabilitation is hidden in simply "going to the gym"!
The CALM story so far...
CALM came into being in 2017 when Alex, the owner of a personal training gym, was approached by parents who were seeking rehabilitation for their 7 year old son. He had had a stroke which severely impacted his physical movement on his right side and his cognitive ability to concentrate at school for example. Alex started working with this little boy and, using experience gained from years working with adults recovering from a wide variety of injuries and conditions, soon discovered that the adaptability of a child's brain offered far greater scope for change and recovery than the adults he trained. The results were incredible and hospital consultants were astonished by the rapid progress this little boy made.
Along with one of his adult clients, who is also now a Trustee of the charity, and has a debilitating and painful neurological condition herself, CALM was formed to offer this therapy to children across Gloucestershire. Since then, CALM has secured funding to train more children.