Childrens Physiotherapy Brisbane | Physiotherapy For Kids

Children’s Physiotherapy

So what is children’s physiotherapy and why is it so important?

Children physiotherapy is the treatment of musculoskeletal issues, and other injuries in children. Children’s physiotherapy focuses on problems that may inhibit the motor function and movement of children as they grow. It also strives to provide physio services in a child-friendly manner.

This branch of physiotherapy is crucial as it ensures that children with injuries receive the same standard of care as an adult. Secondly, the sooner we work to correct issues, the easier they can be resolved.

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Why might your child need physiotherapy for kids?

Our children don’t always develop at the same rate, or in a way that we would consider normal. After consultation with your doctor they may suggest some assistance from a children’s physiotherapist.

Then there are those that experience some form of injury or trauma that will require rehabilitation. Brisbane children may experience injuries while playing sports such as football or netball, or get into accidents. They are at as much risk of developing mobility issues from these events as adults. Therefore, they require the same level of care and treatment.

Assessing a child’s mobility through child physiotherapy.

Assessments in children’s care can be more thorough than with adults. With adults, there is a clear idea of a problem due to the injury or a referral from a doctor. With children, the problem isn’t always so obvious. That is why our expert physiotherapists will perform a more extensive assessment.

They will look at all areas of a child’s growing body, not just in an area causing the most concern. That means that there is a better chance of spotting additional issues, making a diagnosis and creating a treatment plan. These sessions can take a while.

But, we see no need in rushing a child and making them perform certain tasks if they aren’t comfortable.

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Can physiotherapy help with growing pains?

As children grow, they can develop various growing pains particularly in the thighs and calves. This is due to the fact that their muscles cannot keep up with the rate of bone growth. It can also be related to the amount and type of physical activity the child is involved in. Some children tend to do a lot of different sports, which is generally a good thing but has to be managed properly to avoid overtraining. Growing pains can occur throughout the year, but they are typically seen at the start of a year once children are getting back into sport after their summer holidays.

Growing pains are generally easy to treat if addressed early, with simple strategies such as rest, stretching, massage and heat/ice packs often helpful to reduce the pain. If left untreated, growing pains can become more complicated to treat and can develop into muscle tears, tendon issues and even conditions such as Severs Disease and Osgood Schlatter Disease. This results in prolonged time away from physical activity, which leads to multiple physical and psychological issues.

Physiotherapy is an effective treatment strategy for children with growing pains. Our physiotherapists are trained to identify the cause of the child’s growing pains, which then helps us to work out how to stop the growing pains from returning once they have been treated. Treatment techniques such as massage and strapping tape are often helpful to reduce the pain. Exercises are aimed at both reducing the child’s pain in the short-term, but also helping to prepare their muscles for the rigours of their specific physical activity. Our physiotherapists aim for each child with growing pains to be able to return to their preferred physical activity, and in most cases there is no reason why they cannot do this if treated early.

Providing a child’s physiotherapy treatment plan.

A treatment plan can take many different forms, with a range of possible solutions in place. Many children will benefit from a clear action plan of exercises that can improve and correct the problem.

Some children will do this in the practice, but there may also be exercises that they can do at home or at school. This ensures that they can keep up with their program in a more convenient, comfortable environment.

There will also be children who have been supplied with supports such as splints or orthotics to help them correct the alignment of their muscles or their posture. We will work to ensure that they are fitted correctly and can offer additional support where needed.

Where possible, we want to communicate the problems and solutions with the child to offer the best service. This is their body, their health, their time, and their effort.

Those that are old enough to understand the situation will be consulted on the situation and the plan moving forward. We want to make sure that they are comfortable with the arrangement and aren’t left in the dark.

We have physiotherapists who have a special interest in the area of children’s physiotherapy and can treat children with musculoskeletal conditions and sports injuries. Contact us to learn more about physiotherapy for children.

What’s the difference between children’s physiotherapy and paediatric physiotherapy?

There are a number of key differences between children’s physiotherapy and paediatric physiotherapy. The most notable is that paediatric physiotherapy must only be performed by a qualified paediatric physiotherapist. This takes additional training after you have already become a qualified physiotherapist.

Additionally, a children’s physiotherapist places a larger focus on treating issues that arise from children’s sport as well as any issues that may impact their growth development.

Contact Graceville Physiotherapy today to book children’s physiotherapy in Brisbane.

If you live in the Brisbane area and need support with your child’s physiotherapy and injuries, contact us today. At Graceville Physio, we promise to provide a friendly, professional service that will help your child. If we feel that your child requires a Paediatric Specialist, we’re also able to refer to and liaise with this specialist so that your child is able to get the best care possible.

Children’s Physiotherapy FAQ’s

What is children’s physiotherapy?

Children’s physiotherapy treats babies and young people to promote health and wellbeing. Expert children’s physiotherapists have the knowledge to work with still-developing bodies and even childhood disabilities.

What is the age range for children’s physiotherapy?

Children’s physiotherapy covers children from a young age, all the way up to teenagers of nineteen, as during these years the body is still growing or may receive injuries from sports or accidents.

What are the benefits of children's physio?

The benefits of children's physio are:
- Quick recovery from injury resulting in avoidance of long term effects
- Identifying movement issues early so injuries are prevented
- Identifying issues that may have been caused from an accident and treat to avoid long term issues.