FAQs

You can visit a physiotherapist even in pregnancy. A visit to the physiotherapist can be beneficial at this early stage as it can give the parents confidence. It is a good idea to have your child examined at least once by a paediatric physiotherapist. And the earlier the better. This is because the smaller the child is, the easier it is to correct or prevent possible irregularities through proper care or therapy. It is an investment in the development of the child or baby and helps to reassure the parents about the development of their child.

The optimal time for the first consultation is when the child is around two to three months old. However, if you have particular concerns or worries, you should make an appointment earlier, even with a newborn.

Certain symptoms can become evident with a premature baby. These can include:

• Very little activity from the child
• A baby not really looking at a parent’s face
• Constantly looking back
• No head control
• Tightly clenched fists and toes
• The child is constantly lying in one, asymmetrical position, e.g. in a letter “c” shape
• Feeding difficulties, e.g. poor sucking, very long feeds.

If you are bringing an baby, it’s a good idea bring a cloth nappy, if you have one, or a thin blanket to lay your baby on during the examination and treatment. Also take a nappy change, because physiotherapeutic treatments often stimulate peristalsis, so it may be necessary to change the baby.

Make sure your baby is rested and fed. Try to feed them within 30 minutes before the visit starts.

We will need direct access to your baby’s skin, so dress your baby in clothes that are easy to take off. Ideally, your child should wear a close-fitting bodysuit with short sleeves.

All equipment and toys are regularly disinfected by us, but if you prefer that the baby does not touch office toys, take your own for them to play with.

Make sure they are neither hungry or too tired. For the first visit, your child will be asked to undress down to their underwear. For the following meetings, you can take a comfortable, but not too loose, sports outfit for them (preferably shorts and a tight shirt). They can change before classes.

If you would like to show the physiotherapist some details you observe in your child’s daily functioning, record videos or take photos before the visit and show them during the meeting.

Please bring any relevant information such as descriptions of medical examinations, hospital discharges, test results and imaging tests.

Not all premature babies need rehabilitation, but every premature baby should be under the care of a physiotherapist. Very often, children born prematurely require an individually selected form of care, which, under the supervision of a physiotherapist, parents must master. The way we lift, change, bathe, carry or play with the baby will affect its further development.

As a rule, rehabilitation is carried out until the child compensates for motor deficits. However, a premature baby should remain under therapeutic supervision until they are able to walk on their own. This means that if the child is developing normally, it should come to the therapist once a month for a check-up. Any abnormalities in development can then be detected.

The important thing to remember is that no harm is done to the child during physiotherapy. However, it is demanding for the child, and sometimes, the only way they can communicate is to cry. Sometimes, especially for babies, this is the only way they are able to let us know that they do not like it.

The exercises we give parents at home are safe and easy. Parents and carers should be able to do them without a problem and without doing any harm to the child. If a child starts to cry during a particular exercise, it may be an indication that this is what is difficult for them. These exercises will need to be worked on and will need practice.

• Asymmetries in the child’s posture: for example, one shoulder raised higher than the other, one shoulder blade protruding more or asymmetry of the hips, which may indicate different lengths of the limbs.
• Abnormal gait: for example, turning feet in, turning one foot in, stumbling while walking, walking on tiptoe, shuffling shoes, turning feet in also when resting.
• Difficulty doing things: for example, tying your shoes, getting dressed, climbing stairs, doing simple gymnastics.

Lack of exercise in the open air, too long spent in a sitting position and being overweight are the main culprits of posture defects in children and adolescents. They are most often formed in the first years of schooling and during puberty, during the rapid growth of the body.

Posture defects can be diagnosed as early as two years of age, when the child can stand and walk confidently.

Orthopaedic insoles restore the correct distribution of foot pressure on the ground when moving or standing. They also correct foot defects and eliminate pain. By correcting the position of the feet, they affect the higher levels of the kinematic chain, e.g. knee-hip-spine and they create an additional support for passive anatomical structures, thus preventing injuries.

The frequency of check-ups is determined individually by the physiotherapist and the patient, but we recommend that it take place approximately every three months.

To get any form of correction, you must be doing 70% of your daily mileage in orthopaedic insoles. This means wearing insoles in the shoes in which we take the most steps during the day. These can include sports activities, general walking or school for children, and extracurricular sports activities related to running.

The first results of the correction can be observed after 2-3 months in children, and in adults after about half a year. However, it is always necessary to take into account the individual conditions of the patient as well as their general fitness and daily activity.

Our insole is not forever, but it will serve you for a long time. Capron insoles should last longer than the pair of shoes they were fitted in.