Physical therapy

Physical therapy is a type of treatment aimed at teaching, restoring, or training a child’s gross motor functions (head holding, sitting, crawling, pelvic control, walking, running, and jumping). 

Physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy involves the use of various physical exercises aimed at: 

• increasing the amplitude of movements in the joints by stretching the spastic muscles;
• increase in muscle strength of weakened or stretched muscles;
• improvement of balance;
• improving proprioreception (the child’s sense of his body in space) and coordination of movements by training the vestibular apparatus;
• increasing endurance to physical activity.

Equipment and techniques used in physical therapy 

To increase the amplitude of movements, our specialists perform passive movements (those movements that the specialist performs instead of the child: for example, passive stretching of the upper and lower limbs), passive-active movements (those movements that the specialist performs together with the child, minimally helping him) and active movements (those movements that the child makes himself), thereby strengthening the muscle corset of the joint in which the movement occurs and increases the amplitude. It is for passive-active and active movements that the child needs to be properly motivated. 

Various toys, such as cars, sensory balls and other equipment (for example, a Bobat table, a multifunctional cage with a fastening system, etc.) help specialists in this. 

Also, thanks to the use of such toys, experts stimulate the sensory system and fine motor skills of children. In addition to passive, passive-active and active movements, our specialists use postisometric relaxation (PIR) and PNF therapy to increase the range of motion in the joints. 

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