The paediatric MSK physiotherapy team work with children and young people aged 0-16 treating injuries and conditions which affect the muscles, bones, joints and soft tissues.
You may be referred to us after an injury, after having had a fracture or following surgery. Children and young people commonly present with pain or dysfunction during growth periods such as Osgoods Schlatters and Severs Disease. See below for further details.
We also work with children and young people who have an orthopaedic or rheumatology diagnosis.
We aim to support the rehabilitation of children and young people. Treatment plans and SMART goals will be developed jointly with our patients (and their parents where appropriate) to support them return to their previous level of activity, participating in activities such as PE, sports and outside clubs alongside their friends and peers.
One of the services we offer In East Lancashire is after-school group rehabilitation sessions, where you will join in a circuit-type class alongside other children and young people with similar injuries to regain movement, strength, function, and stability. Many children prefer to attend a class alongside other children as we aim to make the classes fun and interactive
When to seek advice for pre-primary and primary-aged children
Seek urgent medical advice if your child has one or more of the following symptoms:-
- Limps without an obvious cause
- Has a fever that lasts longer than 48 hours
- Has a rash that does not fade when a glass is pressed against it
- Has pain in just one limb or joint (non-symmetrical symptoms)
- Wakes repeatedly in the middle of the night complaining of pain in one area of the body (not usually two or more limbs)
- Loss of skills, for example; finds it difficult to get up from the floor but in the past could do so.
- Has a hot, swollen joint or acute pain not associated with an injury
- Symptoms worsen or do not settle after 48 hours.
- Toe-walking on one leg.
- A loss of sensation/numbness
- Is unable to weight bear
- Complains of back pain that persists for more than 48 hours.
- Night pain that isn't relieved by painkillers such as Calpol or Neurofen
When to seek advice for secondary school-aged children and teenagers
Seek advice if your child/young person complains of any of the following symptoms:
- Persistent night pain (not responsive to simple analgesia)
- General malaise/ lethargy
- Persistent fever
- Weight loss/ reduced appetite
- Acute joint pain with no associated injury
- Joint tenderness
-
Joint swelling with no associated injury
Physical activity guidelines for children and young people
How much physical activity should children and young people aged 5 to 18 do to keep healthy?
Children and young people need to do 2 types of physical activity each week:
- aerobic exercise
- exercises to strengthen their muscles and bones
Children and young people aged 5 to 18 should:
- aim for an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity a day across the week
- take part in a variety of types and intensities of physical activity across the week to develop movement skills, muscles and bones
- reduce the time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity. Aim to spread activity throughout the day
Exercising safely
Children and young people should:
- get medical advice about exercising if they have a health condition
- do exercise that is suitable for their age, ability and experience
- start any new exercise slowly and increase it bit by bit
- use protective equipment, for example for cycling and skateboarding
Young people can use weights for resistance exercise if a qualified adult trains them to use weights correctly and supervises them