Pediatric orthopedics

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PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDICS

90 percent of children in Poland have a posture defect. This particularly applies to the knees, hips and spine – warn specialists of the Department of Health Protection and Promotion of the Institute of Mother and Child.

Every year the growing scale of the problem can be observed. This is confirmed by the report entitled “Health behavior in school-aged children 2012 (HBSC)”, which was prepared by specialists from the Institute of Mother and Child. According to this report, adolescents are at risk of acquiring posture defects and other orthopedic conditions because of the increasing number of factors that cause them. These include a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, an inadequate diet (the number of obese children and teenagers has increased over the past decades), and even poor lighting when reading as well as mismatched school bag.

There are two stages in pediatric orthopedics in which the risk of abnormal development of the spine is increased:

Early school age at which children change their habits. Posture defects during this period may be the result of the desk not adapted to the needs of the child or too heavy school bag. Children have difficulty with keeping normal posture.
Early teenage years, in which problems are caused by a large jump in growth resulting in changes in the center of gravity and body proportions.

Prevention and care for the child’s health at every stage of life is very important. Undergoing appropriate examinations, conducting health checkups recommended by pediatricians should be a priority for every parent. Both in orthopedics and other specializations, time is important – early detection of a defect or disease significantly speeds up the treatment process, and also increases the chances of the child’s recovery.

ORTHOPEDIC CHECKUP FOR CHILDREN

Specialists in pediatric orthopedics and physiotherapy at the Carolina Medical Center have created a special package of diagnostic tests that helps comprehensively examine a young patient in lieu of the musculoskeletal system. An orthopedic checkup carried out in the clinic will allow for a quick reaction and treatment in the event of a locomotor system pathology. Orthopedic consultation, complemented with objective data derived from the analysis of walking, running and standing on the podometric path, allows to assess the child’s posture.

The Orthopedic Checkup consist of the following stages:

Analysis of walking, running and standing on a podometric path – this study aims to search for potentially increased foot pressure during various activities, assessing the asymmetry of walking / running phases and symmetry of the load on both lower limbs.
Consultation with a pediatric orthopedist, during which the doctor assesses the child’s standing position, body shape and back during the slope. He carries out measurements of the knee axis angles and assesses the feet under load, and also examines the child in lying position. It aims to check the length of the lower limbs and the range of motion in the joints. The doctor additionally interprets the results of walking, running and standing on the podometric path.
Measurement of height and weight.

The Orthopedic Checkup is dedicated to children who are at school and kindergarten age (from 4 years old):

in whose a pediatrician or family doctor diagnosed disorders in the development of the locomotor system during periodic examinations;
who have received a referral to an orthopedist;
in whose parents suspect abnormal development of the musculoskeletal system.

BIOMECHANICAL TESTS FOR YOUNG ATHLETES

If your child plays sports, take advantage of the expertise of Carolina Medical Center specialists who work with youth sports clubs on a daily basis. Preventive examinations that we perform at the Center of Functional Diagnostics allow us to identify the child’s abilities, prevent injuries, and if the injury occurs – to immediately start appropriate treatment.

IN CASE YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN INJURED

The Carolina Medical Center has an Orthopedic Emergency Room for children and adults – professional help from specialists 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Check it out!

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