Water Therapy

So, here we are again....talkin' about water therapy. But really, I just love watching Sammy in the pool. She loves it! Marcus has never been able to go, so a few weeks ago I took some video for him to watch.

In this first video, Sammy is starting to kick her legs appropriately...so instead of kicking them together like a frog would, she is beginning to kick alternating the legs. This is big progress and we're really excited about that!

Working on balance and stepping up and down. You can't really tell here, but Sammy has a weight wrapped around her waist (under the skirt of her bathingsuit). When weight is put around her tummy, she has to compensate with her back muscles. This has strengthened her whole trunk area and as a result she stands and walks straighter.

When Sammy works on this pink floater thing, it's normally another way to work on her balance and core/trunk strength. Sometimes though, she roams off, and Leanne lets her do that. Because of it, she has learned some water safety. For example, she'll really start to hold on tight because she knows if she lets go, she'll go under. The other day, she let go, started to go under, but started to kick her legs to tread water so she wouldn't go under. We were so shocked. Of course she didn't know she was treading water, but she did make the connection that if she wants to stay up, she's going to have to do something for it. She's really learned a lot in water therapy and I'm so so so glad we're doing it.

After a long workout, there's nothing Sammy loves better than to get rinsed off. Good work Sammy Samkins!