Helping Hands Occupational Therapy & Hippotherapy

11/02/2026

Watch this little grafter go today!

We focused on using all the lovely postural control skills learnt in the pony down onto the ground!

11/02/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1B2Saz1crY/

Interesting discussion regarding additional therapy provision when supportive SEND in mainstream schools!

09/02/2026

OTs can never go shopping without thinking head for what their therapy sessions will be entailing! This week its puree and toothpaste followed by lollipop sticks and PVA glue!

05/02/2026

Very well said! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Arwyq5U3T/

03/02/2026

NATASHA'S SOCKS MISSION THIS WEEK

Putting socks on is one of those daily tasks that looks simple to adults but can be incredibly hard for some children.

To get a sock on, a child needs to:
✔️ Plan and sequence several steps
✔️ Use two hands together with enough strength
✔️ Sit upright and balance on one leg
✔️ Tolerate fabric and seams on sensitive feet
✔️ Know where their foot is in space
✔️ Adjust and problem-solve if it twists or gets stuck

That’s a LOT going on at once.

For children with:
• low muscle tone
• hypermobility
• poor core stability
• sensory processing differences
• dyspraxia or coordination difficulties

…the task can quickly feel overwhelming and frustrating.

💡 This is why Occupational Therapists teach sock-donning in a graded way.

We don’t jump straight to “do it independently”.
We break it down, adapt it, and build it up step by step:
👣 starting with part of the task
🪑 changing posture and seating
🧦 using stretchier or seam-free socks
🤲 building strength, balance and body awareness alongside
✨ fading support only when the child is ready

Independence grows best when children feel successful, not rushed.

It’s participation in everyday life. 💛

30/01/2026

Love this 😀 https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1NXPuozv5C/

22/01/2026

A huge milestone moment we just had to share !!

This incredible little girl has been coming to therapy with us since she was a preschooler, and this week she achieved something huge 💛

She has learnt to sit herself up independently from lying on the floor.

That might sound simple to some — but for her, this is life-changing. It means a whole new view of the world, no longer limited to floor level. It means more choice, comfort, and independence — being able to move into a position that supports her play, exploration, and connection with the world around her 🌍✨

Through hippotherapy, we’ve been carefully and consistently targeting:
• core stability
• pelvic stability
• postural control

🐴 Why hippotherapy helps:
The horse’s rhythmic, three-dimensional movement closely mirrors the movement of the human pelvis during walking. While riding, her body is constantly receiving rich sensory and movement input, requiring her trunk and pelvis to make small, automatic adjustments to stay upright and balanced.

Over time, this builds:
• deep core strength
• improved pelvic control
• better postural reactions
• confidence in moving against gravity

And this week, she’s been able to pull all of those skills together — transferring them from the horse to the floor — and achieve a brand-new motor milestone 💪✨

What a huge achievement, and such a powerful reminder of how meaningful, functional change happens through movement, repetition, and the right support 💛

Video shared with permission of a very proud Mum!! 👏

22/01/2026

Contact us to find out more for this exciting new group intervention

21/01/2026

Ohh now this is a great visual schedule

12/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/188i7CP9BV/

This looks exciting for sporty wheelchair users

Fancy yourself as a future Paralympian?

ParalympicsGB are working closely with Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby and the LTA - Tennis For Britain to offer you the chance to receive expert coaching and input from GB coaches on Saturday 14 February at Loughborough University.

The Paralympic Potential Programme is the first step in finding out what your future Paralympic sport could be. If you want to find a competitive pathway and unlock the opportunities that sport offers, then now is the time to Explore Your Paralympic Potential - could you ?

You will get to try both Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Tennis in Loughborough. You will be matched with a qualified coach from each sport dependent on your experience and disability. They will provide you with a small group coaching session, information on the sport, insights into classification and intel about how to continue the sport post Explore Day.

In attendance will also be British Rowing, Paddle UK, UK Athletics, British Cycling and British Triathlon to provide you with a small taster of their sports and more information on how to get involved.
Find out more and register to attend: https://linktr.ee/wheelchairexploreday

Image description: Paralympic Potential – Fall in love with your new paralympic sport this Valentine’s Day. Try wheelchair tennis and wheelchair rugby, plus static rowing, canoeing, cycling, athletics and triathlon. Saturday 14 February 2026, Loughborough University.

12/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BCf8Bvs4p/

29/12/2025

For those with hypermobility out there, these gentle exercises are a fantastic way of protecting joints and promoting pain relief, check out her videos, worth a look: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=92U2Yk8IvYg&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEevyQh2lLjcSeT2MpCz2ylVPALd8xPq1KWijkvFuwadENPkmVALOiCxHwZj0g_aem_hcYmg_v7RCM1lED2RZLOKA

Hibernating Bear Programme for Hypermobile Syndromes.Shoulder health with a focus on stabilising the shoulder joint, aligning the shoulders in neutral, elas...