Pediatric and adolescents need to be approached with an understanding of their unique stage in development. Children and teenagers are not just small adults. They have not fully developed and their growth plates are still open. This must be considered when identifying injuries, administering rehabilitation techniques, as well as, for strength and conditioning.
Children do not typically get tendonitis. The area where the tendon of a muscle attaches to the bone in an immature skeleton is a growth plate. Typically children get inflammation at the growth plate, apophysitis, not in the tendon because the tendon or ligament is stronger than the growth plate. These may seem similar but the traditional treatment programs for adults may cause further damage to a maturing child or adolescent.
The cause of all musculoskeletal problems is movement related. Physical therapy can address the movement related issues and use modalities such as electrical stimulation to decrease pain and inflammation. If their symptoms are very acute and painful, Rest and activity modification may be required to alleviate symptoms and decrease further progression of the injury.
Conditions treated include but are not limited to:
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- Children/Adolescent Sports Medicine or Sport Orthopedics Injuries (ages 8-25)
- Growth Plate Injuries
- Ankle Injuries
- ACL, MCL, PCL, LCL Injuries
- Meniscus Tears
- Hip Bursitis
- Patella subluxation
- Patellar Femoral Pain Syndrome
- Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Shoulder Impingement
- Shoulder Instability
- Accessory Navicular Bone
- Spondylolisthesis
- Overuse
- Trauma
- Stress Fractures
- Tendonitis
- Muscles Strains
- Joint Sprains
- Post-operative
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