Cerebral Palsy Exercises: A Practical Guide for Australians

Cerebral palsy physio: what a physiotherapist does

A physio looks at how you move now, agrees goals with you and your family, then builds a program around them.

• Assess movement and posture: the physio watches how you sit, stand, transfer and walk, and notes where movement is hard, tiring or painful.
• Set goals with you: goals might be rolling over, sitting longer, walking to the bus or getting up from a chair, depending on what matters to you.
• Teach a home program: you or your support person learn a short set of activities to repeat between appointments.
• Recommend equipment: they may suggest splints or orthotics, braces, walking frames or wheelchairs, and work with an occupational therapist on fit and use.
• Review and adjust: as a child grows or an adult’s needs change, the program changes too.

Cerebral palsy physiotherapy management across a lifetime

Needs change with age, so management looks different for a toddler, a school student and an adult.

Our guide to cerebral palsy in adults and supporting a child with cerebral palsy in school cover these stages in more detail.

Benefits of exercise for cerebral palsy and why a plan matters

Physiotherapists use strengthening exercises as part of managing cerebral palsy, and the right amount and type differs for every person.

• Strength and movement: strengthening exercises are one of the tools physiotherapists and occupational therapists use, alongside splints, orthotics and mobility aids (healthdirect).
• Everyday tasks: your physio can link exercises to goals that matter to you, such as standing from a chair.
• Pain and comfort: 3 in 4 people with cerebral palsy experience pain (Cerebral Palsy Alliance), so tell your physio what hurts so the plan can be adjusted.
• Hips and joints: 1 in 3 people with cerebral palsy has hip displacement, so ask your specialist whether hip checks are part of your care.
• Walking: 1 in 3 children with cerebral palsy will be unable to walk, and a physio can help set realistic mobility goals, including with wheelchairs and other aids.

TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.

Functional exercises for cerebral palsy in everyday life

Functional exercises practise real tasks rather than isolated movements, and your physio decides which ones suit you.

• Sit-to-stand practice: repeating the movement of getting up from a chair or toilet can be built into daily routines when your physio recommends it.
• Reaching and grasping: everyday activities like picking up a cup or dressing practise the same movements that therapists work on.
• Stepping and walking tasks: getting to the letterbox or around the kitchen can be part of a goal, with aids or support if needed.
• Play and sport: adapted games, swimming and group activities keep exercise social, and a physio can suggest safe options.

Ask your physio to write down the exact activities, how often to do them and what to stop if you feel pain. Do not copy an exercise from a video or a list unless your therapist has approved it for you.

Cerebral palsy stretching and stretches for cerebral palsy

Stretching programs differ widely between people, so a printed list from the internet is no substitute for a physio’s advice.

• Ask for a written program: ask your physio for a printed sheet or PDF with pictures of your own stretches that you can keep at home.
• Get the technique checked: have the physio watch you or your support worker do each stretch, because position and pressure matter.
• Know when to stop: stop and tell your therapist if a stretch causes pain, and follow any medical management plan you have.
• Involve your support worker: a support worker can remind you and assist with the routine, as long as your therapist has shown them how.

Hydrotherapy and cerebral palsy physical therapy options

Cerebral palsy physical therapy can happen in a clinic, at home, at school or in water, and each setting suits different goals.

• Clinic or gym sessions: access to equipment such as parallel bars, mats and treadmills, with a physio guiding the session.
• Home and community sessions: practise in your own kitchen, bedroom or local park, where the real tasks happen.
• Hydrotherapy: exercise in warm water pools is offered by some physiotherapy services, so ask your physio whether hydrotherapy for cerebral palsy suits you.
• Telehealth check-ins: video appointments can help with reviewing a home program between face-to-face visits.

Cerebral palsy pathophysiology and 17 exercises for cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy affects each person’s body differently, so there is no fixed set of exercises that suits everyone.

• What cerebral palsy involves: your specialist can explain what is happening in your or your child’s body, and the Royal Children’s Hospital fact sheet is a plain-language starting point.
• No universal list: a list of 17 exercises cannot account for different muscle tone, movement, pain, age and goals, so treat any such list as general reading only.
• Other options exist: healthdirect also lists botulinum toxin injections and surgery as options your specialist may discuss.
• More information: Cerebral Palsy Alliance has treatment and intervention guides written for families.

NDIS funding for physiotherapy for cerebral palsy

If you meet the NDIS access requirements, therapy can be included in your plan, and your planner or support coordinator can explain how.

1. 1Gather your reports. Bring recent physio, occupational therapy and specialist letters showing your goals and daily needs.
2. 2Tell your planner what you want to work on. Describe the movement and independence goals your physio has set.
3. 3Check your plan for therapy funding. Look at what your plan says about therapy supports and how to use them.
4. 4Choose a physio and book. Ask about experience with cerebral palsy, location and whether they visit home or school.
5. 5Review at your next plan meeting. Share your progress reports so your supports continue to match your needs.

See also cerebral palsy resources in Australia and cerebral palsy speech therapy.

When to talk to a GP or specialist

Raise these early rather than waiting for the next scheduled review.

• New or worsening pain during or after exercise or stretching, especially in the hips, legs or back.
• A noticeable change in how you or your child walk, sit, stand or move.
• Skin redness or sores where braces, splints or orthotics sit.
• Exercises that feel too hard, too easy or too tiring, or a program you no longer understand.
• Any question about hip checks, medicines, injections or surgery, which belong with your specialist.

Call 000 in an emergency, such as a fall with serious injury, trouble breathing or a seizure that does not stop.

TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.

Your next step

Therapy happens in short sessions, and practice happens in everyday life. TQN Care provides practical support at home and in the community, such as helping you follow a routine your therapist has set, getting to appointments and joining activities. You can see everything we offer on our NDIS services page, then send a referral and we will call you to talk through your needs. We do not provide treatment, and we work alongside your own health team.