Therapeutic physical culture (LFK) is a complex of physical education aimed at rehabilitation, prevention and treatment. Includes competently selected exercises and staging of proper breathing.
Indications for
Recommended for children of all ages. Indications of physical therapy for children:
- It is recommended for all healthy children in order to enhance the activity of all systems and organs, metabolic processes, increase the body's adaptation to various factors.
- Forms correct posture.
- Children with temporary or permanent health deviations (damage to the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, musculoskeletal systems).
In addition to the main goals, exercise therapy also has an educational and disciplining function. In the physical therapy classes for children, the child learns himself in the world around him, gets some hygiene skills. Physical education is also important for better adaptation at school, increases resistance to stress, improves school performance and emotional background in schoolchildren, and reduces sensitivity to allergens. Exercise therapy has some contraindications, therefore, requires prior consultation with a specialist.
Activities with babies
When a child is born, his body has not yet fully formed, so all his movements are twitching his hands and feet. So that his body could already develop then, they came up with gymnastic exercises for kids. This is done so that the child’s body develops already in this period. These exercises are done not only for sick children, but also for healthy ones, so that pathology is not revealed later.
How does this gymnastics help the child’s body?
When we move, the muscle mass receives more blood, that is, and most of all that is in it. Metabolism works better, as more energy is consumed and more consumed by the body. Due to the accelerated metabolism, our organs, for example, the kidneys, stomach, liver, begin to develop better, because they work more actively. The immunity of the child is strengthened. The nervous system receives a good incentive to development. The musculoskeletal system is strengthened, the vestibular apparatus, muscles and bones are better fastened. The child begins to sleep harder, which is also a plus, as he wakes up less at night. In general, therapeutic exercises were designed so that the child could learn to move faster, even if he began to make simple movements. Regular exercise will also improve his posture and prevent muscle hypertrophy.
How to conduct gymnastics?
You need to start exercising when the child is already a month old and finish each massage lesson - this helps the muscles to relax. If the child feels unwell, it is worth stopping classes!
If your child is distracted by something else, start doing another exercise, maybe he does not like it, and in the end, distract him with something interesting. Gymnastics should be done two hours after or two hours before eating and bathing, having previously aired the room, but the temperature should not be lower than 20 degrees. The total gymnastics time should not be less than 15 minutes, the process must be accompanied by approving words and positive emotions.
Types of exercises
Exercise exercises for children have many types, the most common of them are listed below. The most popular are those aimed at:
- The development of the respiratory system. The baby lies stomach up, arms crossed on his chest. First we raise one hand, then the second, then both, we throw them over our heads. The child lies on his back, bend his legs and bring them together, repeat the exercise up to 3 times, then hold the legs and turn the pelvis to the sides.
- We train coups from the back to the tummy and vice versa. To do this, we extend the baby’s handle, through which the coup will be carried out, up, we teach him this exercise. To teach a child to crawl, you need two people who will hold him by the limbs and take turns to move them. When the baby is more than 4 months old, he is lifted up behind the back and taught to sit with the help of the baby's hands.
Gymnastics is not done in the following cases:
- the baby is sick with the flu;
- heart problems;
- mucosal disorder;
- stomach problems;
- lung problems
- acute inflammatory and purulent processes.
Conclusion: gymnastics should be carried out in any case after consulting a doctor, but do not forget that parents should be involved in the development of the child.
The use of exercise therapy in cerebral palsy
Exercise therapy for children with cerebral palsy can improve:
- coordination;
- balance;
- force;
- flexibility;
- endurance;
- pain management
- position;
- general health.
A combination of exercises, muscle relaxation techniques and special equipment is used to improve movement. The degree to which physical therapy can improve a child’s specific problems depends on the severity of the condition. Exercises for cerebral palsy are aimed at treating high or low muscle tone. High muscle tone causes stiffness and spasticity, while low muscle tone causes too much flexibility and weakness. Flexibility exercises and massages are often used for children with spasmodic cerebral palsy. Strength training exercises are used to increase muscle tone in children with athetoid cerebral palsy.
Special exercises are also used to help with walking, posture, transient movements, and sensory disturbances, such as touch and balance. The situation is improved through exercises that are performed while sitting, kneeling and standing.
Therapists use a variety of mobility aids to make physical exercise more effective. Anchorages, garbage, tires and inserts in shoes are types of orthopedic equipment that helps the child walk and move joints.
Physical therapy also often includes the following tools:
- ball exercises;
- resistance bands;
- free weights;
- pools;
- hot and cold packaging;
- electrical muscle stimulation.
In some cases, electrical stimulation is used to improve walking function and upper limb function. Physiotherapists must adapt treatment at different stages of development. The most important stages are when the child is in preschool and early school age. Children in the early stages of development learn and experience a lot thanks to the game, which makes it an important aspect of early therapy. Toddlers with CP are often reluctant to touch their face or practice certain movements necessary for learning and physical development.
Procedures for flat feet
For exercise therapy with flat feet in children, game complexes are perfect. Young children can draw using their toes. You can also collect toys from the floor. Exercises for children can be invented by yourself. It is best to alternate them, increase the duration of the lesson, and repeat them after a short period of time. For children who have already gone to school, it is recommended to increase the load. Repeat exercises to increase to twenty.
Classes for a school-age child
Perform a set of exercises from a sitting position on a chair:
- grab a small object with your toes and try to lift it;
- grab the ball with your feet and raise it to the highest possible height;
- reduce and raise heels, while you need to touch the floor with socks;
- pull feet on the floor or roll a stick on the floor.
Already standing, do the following:
- climb on the gymnastic wall and distribute body weight to the center of the foot;
- squat on toes, hands should be directed to the sides;
- walk on a stick or ribbed board;
- make a foot massage using a mat with arch support;
- roll from socks to heels, keep your back straight;
- walk with your socks on an inclined board.
As part of exercise therapy, you must often perform these exercises. You can not stop classes when small improvements appear, you need to fix the result. To achieve clear progress in treatment, the efforts of not only the child himself, but also his parents are needed.
Back problems
Doctors recommend starting exercise therapy for children with impaired posture from two to three months. Exercise therapy will help tone the back muscles and correct the irregular shape of the spine. Constant classes will help the child keep his back straight.
For children under seven years of age, it is recommended to perform exercises at least three to four times a week. Exercise therapy should be performed for three months with a possible break of two months. Classes are recommended to be constantly complicated (once every three weeks). This is necessary to quickly get the result. If this is not done, then the child’s muscles will begin to get used to the loads, because of this, the effectiveness of classes will drop.
A set of exercises for prevention
Complexes of exercise therapy for children can be as follows. Feet should be placed at shoulder width, hands on the waist. Raise elbows until the shoulder blades close. Repeat five times.
Perform bending, hands should be behind. Tilts do right-left and forward-backward. Repeat six times.
Put your legs as wide as possible, put your hands on your shoulders. While breathing in, make an incline forward, when exhaling, return back to the starting position.
Take the bodybar and pull it straight ahead. When exhaling, crouch, when inhaling, return back to its original position. Repeat five to six times. Keep your back level during exercise.