Movement is the key to Neuroplasticity
Movement is the language of brain development, providing it with the information and conditions necessary to thrive. Engaging in intensive blocks of therapy leverages the principles of neuroplasticiy and has been shown to accelerate learning.
With a strong commitment to our community here on the Gold Coast, Australia, we strive to make cutting-edge modalities and state-of-the-art equipment accessible, ensuring that children receive the gold standard in accelerated learning.
Change your child's life through movement!
It takes a village to raise a child
We want to ensure that your child and all members of your family feel supported and part of The Centre of Movement community. We all live on the Gold Coast and have been working as part of the health community for over 15 years. The Gold Coast can be a transient town but with world renowned beaches, lush mountain surrounds and a vibrant grass root community who wouldn’t want to stay?
We can connect you with like minded families and vibrant and active support groups here on the Gold Coast.
Welcome to our village.
Who are we?
Our purpose is to create an environment that fosters the perfect conditions for each child to embark on a remarkable journey, equipping them with the tools they need to excel in life and surpass their perceived limitations. We are driven by the profound belief that every child deserves the best start in life, and we are dedicated to helping them unleash their boundless potential and exceed expectations.
Through our innovative approaches, experienced professionals, and unwavering support, we aim to empower children to reach heights they never thought possible. At the Centre of Movement, we are committed to inspiring, guiding, and propelling each child towards a future filled with limitless opportunities and remarkable achievements.
Our Services
Intensive Therapy
The Intensive Model of Therapy is our most utilised therapy structure. Engaging in frequent repetitions of novel exercises within a condensed timeframe, leverages the principles of neuroplasticity and motor learning.
Trexo Robotics
The Trexo Plus is the first wearable robotic platform designed to help children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities experience walking.
Cuevas Medek Exercises (CME)
CME is a psychomotor therapy designed to facilitate the development of gross motor skills in children with neurological, genetic, and developmental disorders.
Children's Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy looks at how a child, their environment or their daily activities can be modified to help the nervous system function more effectively and allow them to thrive.
Exercise Physiology
An Exercise Physiologist is an Allied Health Professional specialising in exercise prescription and rehabilitation for the development of skilled motor performance.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy at Centre of Movement utilises a holistic approach aimed at developing a child’s movement ability through imaginative play, functional movement training and facilitation of developmental milestones.
TheraSuit Method
The TheraSuit Method increases the feedback the body sends to the brain. It aims to align the body to reestablish correct postural alignment and plays a crucial role in normalising muscle tone, sensory and vestibular function.
Feldenkrais Method
The Feldenkrais Method is accessible through individual sessions called Functional Integration or in a group setting called Awareness through Movement lessons.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy or ‘water therapy’ provides an excellent and therapeutic environment for exercise and rehabilitation which offers numerous advantages over land based exercise due to less gravity.
Gait Training
Gait training or treadmill motor training hopes to initiate motor skill learning with progressively guided stepping patterns when the integrity of musculosketetal and nervous systems is compromised by disease or trauma.
Free eBook
19 Exercises to Increase Movability of Kids With Cerebral Palsy and ASD.
Get to know us in action
We know that a new motor skills such as rolling, sitting, crawling and walking takes thousands of repetitions for a young child to master, and they thrive and enjoy this process of learning and exploring. If your little one is unable to functionally move due to their condition intensive therapy can help provide the conditions necessary for them to find this joy through independent movement.
Through our innovative approaches, experienced professionals, and unwavering support, we aim to empower children to reach heights they never thought possible.
At the Centre of Movement, we are committed to inspiring, guiding, and propelling each child towards a future filled with limitless opportunities and remarkable achievements.
Who is a Candidate?
- Children of all ages.
- Children with neurological conditions including Cerebral Palsy, global developmental delay, brain injury, stroke, muscle tone disorders, spinal cord injury and spina bifida.
- Children with genetic conditions affecting their movement, Down Syndrome (DS), Prader–Willi Syndrome (PWS), Rett Syndrome, PURA, STXBP1, CDKl5.
- Children with Global Developmental Delay (GDD).
- Children in need of post-op rehabilitation such as post tendon releases, Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), Single Event Multilevel Surgery (SEMLs).
- Children that need additional support prior to school transitions.
If you have any questions about your child being eligible please don’t hesitate to call us on (07) 56369458.
Australia's first robotic walker has arrived on the shores of the Gold Coast, Queensland.
The Trexo Plus is the first wearable robotic platform designed to help children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities experience walking.
The Trexo Plus consists of wearable robotic legs that attach to a Rifton walker. The device is safe and mobile, allowing a child to experience over-ground walking independently. The unique ankle design provides the capability for the user to engage their muscles and begin mobilising themselves forward with a heel to toe gait walking pattern.
Early research indicates that, in conjunction with therapy, utilisation of robotic gait training induces improvements in functional activities and gait pattern.
Walking is a game changer for these kids and their families. Centre of movement is excited to deliver the future of pediatric therapy today by combining intensive therapy with cutting edge wearable robotics.
Centre of Movement is using innovative assistive technology that supports children with physical disabilities as they take their first steps. Children with mobility challenges will now be able to visit Centre of Movement, Gold Coast for therapy with the Trexo Plus robotic assistive device, designed to get children upright and walking. Regardless of your child’s abilities they can walk with the Trexo.
Trexo Plus: A range of features to create the perfect walking experience
Custom gait for each user that can be changed over time to help your child initiate their own steps.
With the Trexo Plus, setting the gait pattern is easy. Your child’s legs are passively ranged through their walking cycle and expanded when able. Therapist can easily adjust:
- Gait pattern
- Speed of steps (cadence)
- Amount of weight bearing
- Level of support provided – active or passive
- Two modes: endurance and strength
Trexo’s adjustability allows the therapist to adjust and modify the gait while the child is walking, so that they can always engage the child at the ‘just right’ range.
Data to guide your child’s sessions and keep the therapist on track.
Trexo is tablet operated. This gives the therapist easy access to control the speed of the gait and monitor each child’s session with individual profiles. They can easily monitor:
- Number of steps taken
- Initiation (whether your child is actively participating)
- Time spent walking
- Speed of walking
The tablet stores the session data for each user so the therapist can see the progress over time and use it to guide their decision making in the future.
Battery powered to use whenever, wherever.
Trexo converts a Rifton Dynamic Pacer into a robotic gait training device that allows your child to use it both in and outdoors.
Hospitals who use the Trexo have incorporated it with:
- exploring hallways
- walking side by side with family
- hide and seek
- retrieving games
Since the Trexo is mobile your child can participate in different activities at each visit. Variety is always more fun!
We understand your child has unique needs for equipment. We can set up a Trexo just for them. Find out how the Trexo can help your child and let them discover their first steps today.
Success Stories
Read more from overseas success stories here.
Trexo has been featured in
Do you feel your child is academically underachieving?
Thinking and learning are not all in our head. For some children, some of these stages or ‘core foundation skills’ are underdeveloped, missing or inefficient and can often have a domino effect through many other areas.
Our entire brain structure is intimately connected to and grown by the movement mechanisms within our body.
Our job is to help 're-wire' these connections so that these academic skills can be accessed. Learning is not just in our heads.
"A well-trained nervous system is the greatest friend a mind can have."
How learning happens?
Learning happens in a sequential pattern – if the underlying foundation skill is not there you can not build on it. Cognition and intellect are not engaged for learning.
If your child’s vestibular system is underdeveloped due to middle ear infections, they may miss postural security, then perceptual motor development is not automatic and they then have trouble sitting still at school.
Occupational therapy for children should address the underlying area of concern. The Centre of Movement has a range of modalities, equipment and sensory apparatus to ensure your child climbs this pyramid of learning!
Would you like to see your child be able to participate more in the community; have an improved sense of well-being and a reduction in anxiety; increased lung and heart efficiency; increased strength, flexibility, mobility, and coordination; improved bone health; weight control; and a reduction of chronic diseases and secondary conditions.
Would you like to see your child be able to participate more in the community; have an improved sense of well-being and a reduction in anxiety; increased lung and heart efficiency; increased strength, flexibility, mobility, and coordination; improved bone health; weight control; and a reduction of chronic diseases and secondary conditions.
‘Strength and fitness programs should not be considered as therapy interventions but rather rather as crucial components of a healthy lifestyle for everyone, something that is even more important for those at high risk of inactivity. The role of the therapist is mainly to help their patients with cerebral palsy identify effective, sustainable strategies for incorporating intense physical activity in their lives and, perhaps, training specific capabilities that will increase their exercise capacity.’
1.Graham HK, and collegues. Cerebral palsy. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016
Physiotherapy at Centre of Movement utilises a holistic approach aimed at developing a child’s movement ability through imaginative play, functional movement training and facilitation of developmental milestones.
Our passion is to watch children attain increasing levels of function and are committed to helping children to reach their potential in all aspects of life.
We will collaborate with families on the child's goals and provide support using a wide range of Physiotherapy interventions to help you and your child achieve these goals.
We recognise the challenge of raising a child, especially with a disability, and can provide you with tools and education to help provide a rich learning environment at home or at school to complement therapies utilised at the Centre of Movement.
“Play is not a break from learning. It is endless, delightful, deep, engaging, practical learning. It’s the doorway into the child’s heart!” ~ Vince Gowmon
For children to be able to reach their full potential and live life to the fullest they should be able to experience all the world has to offer. Childhood is a unique season where we get to lay down the building blocks of a fulfilling life and explore the world through fun and play.Early intervention and increased physical function in childhood has been linked to increased quality of life and greater independence throughout the lifespan.[1] Movement is fundamental for a child to entice their curiosity, explore their surroundings and engage with the world naturally through play which not only improves their physical capacity and independence but also improves cognitive function, emotional regulation and mental wellbeing.
“The activities that are the easiest, cheapest, and most fun to do – such as singing, playing games, reading, storytelling, and just talking and listening – are also the best for child development.” ~ Jerome Singer
The TheraSuit Method® is the new gold standard of treatment for children with Cerebral Palsy and other neurological disorders in Australia & the world.
Our Centre is located on the Gold Coast and has been working with the Therasuit Method in Australia for many years.
The TheraSuit Method® is based on an intensive and specific exercise program. Its accelerates the elimination of pathological reflexes and establishes new, correct and functional patterns of movements.
Do you feel your child is academically underachieving?
The TheraSuit Method® is intended to facilitate accelerated rehabilitation to children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders by increasing their range of motion, strengthening muscles and affording them movements against gravity to allow them the ability to maintain their posture and function in life.
The major goal of using the TheraSuit Method® is to improve and change proprioception (pressure from the joints, ligaments, muscles), reduce pathological reflexes, restore physiological muscle synergies (proper patterns of movement) and load the entire body with weight. The Therasuit is a soft and dynamic support system with hooks and elastic bands that align the child’s body as close to neurotypical as possible. The bands assist in supporting weak muscles and normalizing muscle tone.The TheraSuit Method® was designed by physical therapists Richard and Izabela Kosciely when their child was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and they felt that traditional therapy was not meeting their child’s needs. The suit was developed from the original Penguin suit used in Russia’s space program to counteract the harmful effects of weightlessness on the body after returning from long periods in space.
For more information regarding the TheraSuit Method, check out the official TheraSuit Website: http://www.suittherapy.com/
It is the mechanism through which the brain grows, wires itself, forms patterns, action, expectation – the organisation and evolution of movement emerges and grows hand in hand with cognition. The Feldenkrais Method develops a functional awareness of the self in the environment, knowing where you are in space (in gravity).
Through movement we experience our world.
Feldenkrais Method
The Feldenkrais Method is accessible through individual sessions called Functional Integration or in a group setting called Awareness through Movement lessons.
Key Principles
- A brain can reorganise function in response to learning or trauma.
- Neuroplasticity – the ability of the brain to be rewired by the input it receives.
- Awareness of movement is the key to improving movement
- Differentiation – making the smallest possible sensory distinctions between movements – builds brain maps.
- Slowness of movement is the key to awareness, and awareness is the key to learning
- Reduce the effort whenever possible
- Random movements provide variation that leads to developmental breakthroughs
- Even the smallest movement in one part of the body involves the entire body
- Many movement problems, and the pain that goes with them, are caused by learned habit, not by abnormal structure
How is Feldenkrais different to other modalities?
A Feldenkrais practitioner experiences an intense four years of movement exploration as part of their training. Lying on the floor experiencing how we find our first breath, using our eyes to orientate, mouth to suckle for nourishment, the flexion in our spine to roll over, the organisation required to lift our head and then all the way through the developmental sequence to standing.Feldenkrais practitioners have an embodied experience of this learning so when observing a child or adult I can feel what they know and what is missing from their self image. Whether they are relying on their reflexes, those automatic movements or if I can see a freedom of choice in their bodies.How would it feel being in the world if you had only one way to move and express yourself… how frustrating and limiting life would seem. Then imagine the joy I get from flooding their bodies with sensory choices, exploring options for growth and then watching new milestones spontaneous evolve.‘The ability to learn is synonymous with free choice and free will’- Moshe Feldenkrais.
“Inventor Moshe Feldenkrais working with a child© International Feldenkrais® Federation Archive
Water is a therapy medium that is “out of gravity” so children and adults with neurological conditions or those in physical pain are free to move without the physical effects of gravity.
Due to the hydrostatic pressure of water it provides 5x the resistance of air so allows you to more effectively improve cardiovascular fitness, allow out of habit practice of reciprocal movements, and strengthen both your limbs and the core simultaneously. Plus, it can be so pleasurable!
I have seen the biggest gains from hydrotherapy as your brain has to rapidly figure out how to move in a totally new environment. Firmly wired patterns of movement on land do not work. It is shocking to see how much improvement is possible in the water when you take away the habit that is hiding the evidence of neurologic recovery.
Individuals with neurological problems find it difficult to move against gravity because of muscle weakness, increased tone (spasticity) or poor balance. In the water the effects of gravity are virtually eliminated. The result is a significantly improved pattern of movement.
Hydrotherapy
Used in conjunction with our intensives programs or can be secured as part of your child's weekly therapy routine.
It creates an ideal environment for people with a wide range of impairments and functional levels to achieve a functional and efficient walking pattern.
Gait training with the ceiling hoist provides proper posture, reduces weight bearing, eliminates concerns for balance, and facilitates the training of coordinated lower extremity movement.
How it helps your child
Gait training with the ceiling hoist provides proper posture, reduces weight bearing, eliminates concerns for balance, and facilitates the training of coordinated lower extremity movement.
CME therapy provides children with the opportunity to learn body movement and control and how to operate in a more biomechanically effective and efficient manner.
‘’The fundamental assumption of CME therapy is that developmentally compromised infants and children need to reinforce their natural recovery potential and activate their genetic code that could lead them into motor freedom’’
How Does CME Work?
The foundation of CME is built upon helping children with impaired motor skills develop postural control and adjustments. The ability to control posture and make adjustments in response to gravity, movement and the external environment, is critical throughout development and is an essential physical characteristic needed perform gross motor skills such as crawling, sitting, standing, and walking. Postural control correlates to proximal stability (trunk stability). With proximal stability, the body can functionally maintain its position to allow more distal segments (such as the arms and hands) to perform fine motor skills.
CME therapy involves physical manipulations of body segments to provoke postural adjustments in response to gravity. By varying the level of support given to a child, in conjunction with dynamic and challenging tasks, new stimulus and sensations are provided to the child (challenging proprioception and the vestibular system) in which they must make postural adjustments to maintain an upright position. Through repetition, neurological connections are consolidated and a child’s postural response to an exercise may become autonomous, thereby maintaining stability and balance. CME therapy can be enjoyable for children as it often resembles movements and activities experienced during play.
By using this website, blog, or any of our programs, you implicitly signify your agreement to all parts of the below disclaimer.
All the information on this website is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Centre of Movement does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information. You should understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge Centre of Movement from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of Centre of Movement. Centre of Movement will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website.
