Children and young people are not just small adults. They are constantly developing physically, emotionally and physiologically. Illness and injury can have a different impact on them compared to adults.
Normal variants (such as flat feet/intoeing) during the development of young children result in changes than can be mistaken as pathology.
Adolescents appear to be of greater risk of musculoskeletal injury during periods of rapid growth in early puberty.
It is important that your child or young person is seen by a children and young people's physiotherapist or a physiotherapist that has a competent knowledge of paediatric musculoskeletal conditions.
The children and young people's physiotherapists in the musculoskeletal clinics focus on the assessment of a variety of injuries and orthopaedic conditions.
Conditions commonly seen are:
- Soft tissue injuries (such as sport injuries that are often overuse injuries)
- Joint and muscle pain (such as anterior knee pain and back pain)
- Growth related conditions (such as Osgood Schlatters Disease)
- Fractures and post surgery
- Altered gait through a child’s development
Physiotherapy can assist a child or young person in managing their condition, helping them to restore and improve their movement and strength and return to their activity. Physiotherapy also encourages injury prevention and health promotion.
Intervention is based on each child or young person’s individual needs and goals and will be delivered in episodes of care. It can take a variety of different forms including:
- Specific treatments
- Exercise/activity programmes
- Self management and signposting to appropriate resources
- Recommendations for supportive equipment/orthoses
- Education/training of family members, carers and education staff
- Liaison with the multi-disciplinary team
The aim of the service is to enable each child or young person to reach their full physical potential and to self-manage their condition with the support of their families/carers.
