PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR CHILDREN & BABIES

CHILDREN, like adults, can suffer from aches and pains.

They may complain of painful problems such as knee, hip, heel, foot or ankle pain which could be Osgood Schlatter’s Disease, Sinding-Larsen Johansson syndrome or Sever’s disease.  

They may have problems with their upper limbs, back or neck pain which could be due to scoliosis, kyphosis, poor posture or poor core stability.  

Post Surgery  Injury:

Following orthopaedic surgery or any type of musculoskeletal injury, particularly sports injuries physiotherapy can also be helpful for children,

BABIES & TODDLERS: 

Babies can need physiotherapy  for many different conditions. These include positional  talipes (mild club foot), hip conditions such as developmental hip dysplasia, developmental delay (eg. late walking), Torticollis and Plagiocephaly  (flat head syndrome) - If a baby has a preference to turn it’s head to one side, this can indicate a tightening in the neck muscles on one side which in turn can cause plagiocephaly.  If left untreated this can become quite marked.  Babies generally do not grow out of these  two  conditions, and would benefit from positioning and stretching techniques and advice to normalise head position and shape.

In toddlers, some common parental concerns can include flat feet, in-toeing or out-toeing gait, knock knees or bowed legs. A paediatric physiotherapist can fully assess whether these complaints are within normal limits, can advise on preventative measures and sometimes  teach child friendly exercises in order to improve things.

Tip toe walking is not normal, and very often children that tip toe do not grow out of it without the correct help and advice. It is quite important to determine whether there is an underlying cause for toe walking (which is rare) or whether it is purely habitual. In the latter case, physiotherapy can be very effective. 

So, if you have a child complaining of pain, have any concerns about your child’s walking or leg position, or are worried about something your baby is or isn’t doing, give us call and Emma Harding, our paediatric physiotherapist will be happy to help.  

PILATES - WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT HELPS

Over the summer I had several patients who, for a number of reasons, had stopped doing their pilates classes/exercises and started to experience various aches and pains.

Coincidence it may have been but knowing how having good core stability - achieved through pilates -  can help reduce back pain, improve posture and positively influence sporting performance including running etc, I think there’s more to it.

So I thought I would share a bit about Pilates, what it is and how it can help.

Pilates has long been known as one of the best ways to improve your core.  Wikipedia defines Pilates as a body conditioning routine that may help build flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips and back. It puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing, and developing a strong core or center, and improving coordination and balance. Pilates' system allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty from beginning to advanced. Intensity can be increased over time as the body conditions and adapts to the exercises.

Getting our bodies as stable and as flexible as they should be logically is going to be a good thing.

If you’d like more advise on how pilates might be able to help you feel free to email me, jemma@thephysioplacecom.  Classes I would recommend in Bristol are at David Lloyd for members and Efuah Bonney for non-members and in Salisbury, Sandy @ Salisbury Pilates,