Manual Therapy for Children

Manual therapy is a method of diagnosis and treatment in which the doctor works with their hands: assessing the mobility of the spine, joints and muscles and gently influencing tense areas. In children, gentle techniques are used, chosen according to age and condition, and only after a doctor's examination and in the absence of contraindications.

In brief

• How it differs from massage: massage works with soft tissues, while manual therapy also acts on joints, the spine, fascia and ligaments.
• Common reasons to seek it: back and muscle pain, posture problems, joint blockage, recovery after injuries and surgery. Whether the method suits your child is decided by the doctor at the examination.
• Techniques: soft techniques (myofascial, craniosacral, visceral) and mobilization. For a child, the doctor chooses the gentlest ones.
• When it is not allowed: acute injuries and fractures, osteoporosis, cancer, acute circulatory disorders, inflammatory processes in the joints.

At CSM Clinic in Kyiv, children are seen by an osteopath and a physical rehabilitation specialist. If needed, a consultation with a pediatric neurologist is recommended first.

Manual therapy is a set of treatment and diagnostic methods carried out through contact of the doctor's hands with the patient's body and physical influence on the body, first of all on the muscles, spine and joints. Each manual therapy session at our clinic is a step toward feeling better, improving overall health, and restoring the natural range of motion of the joints and normal functioning of the organs.

Manual therapy and massage are not the same thing. Massage is aimed at harmonizing the emotional state and relaxing the body, while courses of manual therapy are a type of treatment aimed at achieving a full therapeutic result. And while massage works only with soft tissues and subcutaneous structures, manual therapy, with controlled force, acts on the bone and joint apparatus, muscles and muscle fascia, ligaments, vessels, lymph nodes and internal organs.

Based on the treatment principles of neurology, vertebrology, orthopedics, sports medicine and the biomechanical effect on human tissue structures, manual therapy has become an integral part of treatment and rehabilitation programs for children and adults. Because it requires a body of specialized knowledge, a manual therapy center can only be a specialized medical institution, and by no means a massage room at a beauty salon or fitness club.

Contraindications to manual therapy:

• osteoporosis;
• acute circulatory disorders;
• oncological conditions;
• injuries and fractures in the acute period;
• inflammatory-degenerative processes in the joints (rheumatoid arthritis).

Techniques and approaches of manual therapy for children

The last century and a half of medical practice has given the world classical techniques that are used in rehabilitation medicine and vertebrology.

1. Manipulative (active technique).
   This technique is based on short thrusts of moderate force. The spinal column and sacrum are affected most often. Manipulative manual therapy of the spine may help restore healthy mobility of the spinal segments, relieve pinched nerve roots and relax the muscle and ligament apparatus. For mild osteochondrosis, manual therapy is more often used on its own, and 1-3 sessions may be needed for recovery.
2. Mobilization (passive technique).
   Manual mobilization is intended to gently stretch the vertebrae and tilt the spine. As a result, the outflow of lymph from soft tissues may improve and swelling subside, local blood supply and tissue nutrition may normalize, and the mobility of the joints may increase.
   Mobilization manual therapy for scoliosis may help relieve functional blockage and restricted mobility in the vertebrae and may help correct posture. Manual therapy of the joints stretches muscles shortened by spasm and may improve mobility.
3. Soft techniques.
   The main feature of soft techniques is replacing abrupt movements with delicate, gentle touches. Their purpose is to relieve pain, ease nerve and muscle tension, and improve the condition and mobility of the muscle and ligament apparatus. Manual therapy also includes approaches that are used in treatment and recovery practice.

Manual therapy also includes approaches that are used in treatment and recovery practice.

• Myofascial therapy (MFT)
  Uses gentle stretching and activation of the muscles to relieve pain and stimulate self-recovery.
• Craniosacral therapy (CST)
  Intended to support the natural micromovement rhythm of the skull bones and cerebral blood flow (the scientific evidence for this approach is limited).
• Visceral therapy
  Intended to support the function of the internal organs with light pressure and tapping.
• Arthro-vertebral therapy
  Characterized by the use of abrupt movements. Aims to restore mobility of the spine and joints.

Read also

• Hemiplegia in children
• Hemiparesis in a child
• Pyramidal insufficiency
• Cerebral palsy in children: treatment and rehabilitation

Book an appointment: Pediatric neurorehabilitation in Kyiv

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention with manual therapy

Our CSM Clinic offers manual therapy for children and adults in Kyiv, aimed at full rehabilitation after injuries, illnesses and surgery.

Manual therapy is a comfortable treatment, but at the same time a complex one. The result achieved affects a person's later rhythm of life. A professional osteopath or manual therapist at our clinic in Kyiv can perform a manual assessment and select a set of manipulations that takes into account the age and condition of the particular patient. The influence can be either relaxing or toning, depending on the indications and therapeutic goals.

Our manual therapy clinic in Kyiv uses these techniques for treatment and prevention, and also for diagnosis. Manual diagnosis has its own techniques (palpation, stretching, pressure), each of which examines groups of muscles and joints. If necessary, additional examination by a neurologist or surgeon is recommended.

The price of manual therapy depends on several factors, the main ones being the seriousness of the problem that led to treatment and the length of the course. A preventive course consists of 1-3 sessions. A treatment course is 5-7 sessions. Acute conditions may be eased with one session a week.

People get to know the world through touch. Touch also expresses affection, sympathy, respect and love. At our clinic, the skilled and technical touch of a manual therapist's hands is used for treatment. Manual therapy for children and adults at CSM Clinic is a pleasant way to help relieve pain, blockages, contractures and movement limitations, restore natural biomechanics, and support the body's vitality.

Frequently asked questions