Massage and exercise for clubfoot in children

In the overwhelming majority of cases, clubfoot in babies can be corrected and cured. The main thing is to notice the deviation in time, turn to the orthopedist and start the therapy. It is no secret that in early childhood bones, ligaments and muscles are more plastic, this determines the effectiveness of treatment. The basis of therapy is considered a special massage and gymnastics for the legs. How to do massage with clubfoot, you will learn from this material.

Kosolapie quite often confused with this pathology of the lower extremities, as varus. In case of a varus deformity of the feet, the child rests on the outer part of the feet, as a result of which the arches of the feet bend, the knees are divorced, the legs take on an O-shape when they are parallel to the setting. The clubfoot looks about the same. The essential difference is that when the varus anomaly is almost always acquired (the parents started to put the baby on their feet early, the baby was born prematurely, with weak bone and muscle tissue, there were injuries to the ankle, etc.).

A strong clubfoot is noticeable even in the hospital, and a minor one becomes noticeable only by 4 months of age, when the doctor can distinguish the physiological legs with a “wheel” in an infant from a pathological condition. Varus is only a symptom, one of the many signs of true clubfoot.

Treatment of pathology is both conservative and surgical. It all depends on the severity of clubfoot. As a rule, mild and moderate degrees are subject to manual correction, which is based on massage, exercise therapy exercises, and physiotherapy.

Sometimes parents completely recklessly believe that with time the child’s club foot will pass. There is an opinion that the child after the start of independent walking will receive a greater load on the legs, which ultimately should lead to the formation of the correct setting of the feet. This opinion is wrong. It is because of the additional load that the curvature increases, the load on the joints is double, and even triple.

The touching gait of the toed babies waddling will not become smooth, moreover, without treatment, the likelihood of rapid pathological wear of the hip and knee joints increases. This threatens not only a violation of the normal gait, but also the likelihood of the formation of scoliosis, joint pathologies, and disability.

Massage, which belongs to the category of therapeutic, in combination with gymnastics to correct clubfoot, is able to relax those parts of the muscles that are in a state of constant tension due to the incorrect arrangement of the axes of the foot. Foot massage improves blood circulation, better metabolism at the cellular level. Features of massage of the lower leg with congenital clubfoot consist in stimulating not only muscles and ligaments, but also certain nerve endings.

Gradually, the muscles relax, and another group of muscles - poorly developed - strengthens. The load starts to be distributed more correctly. The foot comes to a normal anatomical state, its functions are restored in full.

Massage, like any therapeutic type of treatment, is prescribed in courses. However, parents should know that there are conditions in which the massage will not be assigned or its implementation should be delayed for some time.

So, you can not hold a massage session if the child is sick with the flu, acute respiratory viral infections, other infections associated with fever and deterioration of the general condition.

Also, it is impossible to massage the legs in the presence of dermatological problems, skin ailments, abrasions, pustules, burns, wounds in the area of ​​massaging. Some diseases of the musculoskeletal system, for example, osteoporosis, are also a contraindication to therapeutic massage to eliminate clubfoot.

Congenital heart defects, vascular and central nervous system diseases can also be a contraindication, although in this question the final word is for the doctor. In some cases, it is forbidden to massage the feet in case of large inguinal and umbilical hernias, if there is a chance that spontaneous muscle contraction may lead to the infringement of the hernia sac and its contents. Tuberculosis of the bones, osteomyelitis, atrophy, some forms of paralysis are all grounds for refusing appointment. massage

Before performing the massage, the orthopedic doctor makes very specific recommendations for massaging the legs. It indicates the most intense parts of the muscles. It is important to know before the active manual correction begins.

The general rules for a therapeutic massage session involve the use of point pressure, spiral-shaped and circular rubbing, stroking with pressure, corrective guiding movements, clapping and light stroking.

This massage for the treatment of clubfoot in newborns should be done in the presence of medical indications. The best age when it is recommended to begin treatment is the age of two weeks. If for some reason the optimal time has been missed, it is considered most favorable if treatment begins before the child is six months old.

The technique of the massage should be explained in detail and shown to the parents by a specialist - a professional massage therapist. In principle, parents can easily do the massage themselves, but only after the doctor is convinced of the correctness of the performance of all the techniques: improper performance can significantly harm the child.

The following scheme is most commonly used.

• Put the child on the tummy, with one hand rhythmically bend and unbend the leg at the knee joint, the second - simultaneously stroke the shin from bottom to top. Movement along the lower leg should become more intense, but in no case should it be painful. This technique allows you to relax the most affected areas - the muscles and ligaments of the ankle.
• Place the baby on the back, lightly circle the foot massage from the base of the metatarsal stones to the transition of the heel to the ankle. The active points of the foot can be seen on special acupuncture schemes, and also ask the doctor to show you the main ones.
• In order to improve the blood circulation of the feet, intensive stroking of the outer part of the thighs in combination with the rubbing of the feet will be helpful. It is better to alternate these two movements.
• In places of weak muscle tone apply a more gentle effect, and in places of high tone - more intense.
• All massage movements are carried out strictly in the direction from the bottom up - in the direction of the current lymph.
• The inner part of the thigh should be massaged very carefully, and the popliteal cavity is not massaged at all.

It is important to know the following.

• Children's therapeutic massage will be most effective if parents comply with all the rules and recommendations of the doctor.
• The massage should be regular, the duration of sessions starts from five minutes and adjusted gradually to 15-20 minutes.
• Contrast foot baths are very helpful immediately after the massage. Especially their purpose is recommended for children, for the treatment of clubfoot which, for a number of reasons, started late - 3-4 years and older.
• If within a year from the moment of the beginning of the conservative treatment there are no results or deterioration occurs, the child is recommended surgical treatment or plastering of the lower extremities.
• Therapeutic massage for babies up to three years old can be combined with a general tonic massage, with a general session first, and only then you can proceed to a detailed effect on the foot.
• Massage to stop optimally hold at least 1 time a day, better - twice a day, but you should not combine it with an evening massage, because the child can fall asleep poorly.
• If after a massage the child cries for a long time, experiences problems with falling asleep and sleeping, in consultation with your doctor should reduce the load, pressure and go to a more gentle effect: it is possible that the massage causes physical pain to the child.

In addition to massage of the feet and legs, with clubfoot, a concomitant massage of the lumbar and gluteal zone, as well as the back is performed.

You will learn more about massage and exercises for clubfoot in children in the following video.