This type of therapy is often offered by a licensed physical therapist who specializes specifically in young children and babies. It aims at improving a child’s mobility after an injury or illness.
You can get these services at home, a daycare center, school, or an outpatient clinic. Typically, the treatment should be provided in a setting that the child feels comfortable.
Moreover, the therapy sessions are designed to be fun for children with mobility issues while at the same time improving posture, balance, flexibility, strength, movement patterns among others.
In this article, we will discuss the various types of orthopedic and pediatric physical therapy treatments available. You can also see this link libertyptnj.com for more details.
Exercise therapy
Physical exercise can help to improve flexibility, strength, and range of motion in the body. A PT creates an exercise plan and performs it with their patients.
One can also perform the exercise on their own . Sporting, running, hip strengthening exercises, straight leg raising exercises are some of the exercises performed during this treatment session.
You may also consider a home exercise program to perform on your own as prescribed by the therapist,
Hydrotherapy
This form of therapy aims at controlling inflammation, improving circulation, and relieving muscle tension. The exercise is mainly performed in a pool or a whirlpool.
The pool can be cold or hot depending on individual needs. those with joint issue benefits a lot from this type of treatment because water provides a buoyancy that supports your weight as you exercise and soothes the pain away.
Nevertheless, caution must be taken to ensure the pool isn’t too hot or too cold to avoid damaging the skin.
Coordination exercise
Doctors recommend coordination exercise for kids who are injured or have difficulties in crawling or walking. your kid may be asked to stand on one leg with their eyes closed or open, walk backward, or hope on one leg as a way to improve their balance and motor coordination.
Soft tissue manipulation
Soft tissue manipulation treatment is a type of manual physical therapy. Here, the physical therapist uses hands-on techniques on the ligaments, muscles, and fascia to relieve muscle adhesion and optimize muscle function.
Gait exercises
This type of treatment can help improve your child’s manner of walking, efficiency, and ability. Most children have problems walking. This could be due to injuries, birth defects, or other health conditions.
As a result, your child may struggle to bend and straighten their legs, or lack to bend their thigh at the hip. The goal of gait exercise is to stimulate the brain to send correct signals to the legs so that they can move properly. A pediatric physiotherapist may use various strategies including a wheeled walking frame to meet your child’s needs.
Joint mobilization
Just like the soft tissue manipulation technique, joint mobilization is also a manual technique. It involves moving the joints carefully and firmly in different directions to relieve pain and restore joint movement.
The most common joint mobilization exercises include extension, patella motion, long axis distraction, flexion, tibia femoral glide among others. These movements are applied at varying speeds and amplitudes with the intent to improve motion and function.
Massage
Massage is another manual technique that involves kneading the inflamed body tissues to help improve circulation, decrease pain and decrease muscle tension. The massage techniques involved are vast including trigger point massage, petrissage, and effleurage. a good massage can also help with energy and alertness. You might click here to read more about physical therapy treatments.
Conclusion
Physical therapy is a crucial component for those suffering from orthopedic disorders. A good physical therapist will use multiple techniques to help patients walk normally again. Furthermore, the treatment techniques used are designed with the future growth of the child in mind. Children have light and fragile bones that require special care. As such, damages may occur if they aren’t treated correctly. lastly, find yourself a reputable physical therapist who specializes in orthopedic injuries in kids.
