Practical Techniques to Address Pediatric Gait Dysfunction
Chrys Kub, PT, c-NDT
Includes all course content in digital format
Prerequisites Required
Description
Pediatric gait dysfunction affects a child's ability to explore their environment and engage easily in activities with their peers. Identifying the major structural impairments and muscular imbalances which contribute to gait dysfunction is an essential skill for the pediatric physical therapist in order to maximize the child's functional mobility. While more invasive interventions such as Botox injections or surgery are an option, physical therapists are charged with providing more timely interventions for improved functional outcomes to optimize reimbursement for therapeutic intervention. Physical therapists need to develop biomechanical expertise in order to assess such imbalances and work cooperatively with orthotic providers to come to a team decision on progressive orthotic intervention for improved ambulation outcomes.
This course will introduce the clinician to assessment techniques for the lower extremity as to the requirements for optimum muscle and biomechanical function for efficient gait. Participants will learn how to perform these assessments and will gain knowledge of the requirements for efficient gait. Attendees will be able to return to the clinic with a clear treatment plan for interventions and/or orthotic intervention, and when to make an informed decision to recommend more invasive strategies such as Botox injections or surgery.
Highlights
- Practical assessment strategies for musculoskeletal imbalances you can use the next day
- Treatment techniques and orthotic interventions most effective for children with hypotonia or hypo extensibility affecting gait
Learning Objectives
- Identify pre-requisites for normal and efficient gait and obstacles to achieving these pre-requisites.
- Evaluate common hip malalignments proximal to the ankle and management/implications of these findings.
- List lower extremity musculoskeletal assessment tests to identify presences of gait pre-requisites.
- Examine closed chain effects of pronation and supination.
- Outline consequences of limited ankle dorsiflexion mobility.
- Distinguish basic principles of adapting orthoses to biomechanical imbalances in the foot.
- Interpret management techniques for hypo extensibility and hypotonus in the lower extremity.
Course Content
| Practical Techniques to Address Pediatric Gait Dysfunction | SCORM Package | ||
| Next Steps | Module |
- Identifying Biomechanical Impairments of the Lower Extremity
- Description of pre-requisites for efficient gait
- Assessments for joint mobility/hypo extensibility and implications of limitations
- Treatment Interventions and Strategies for Hypotonus and Hypo Extensibility in the Hip, Foot, and Ankle
- Update on evidence-based physical therapy interventions for gait dysfunction
- Hip internal rotation/external rotation bias (nonstructural)
- Strengthening, kinesiology taping, and strapping interventions
- Closed chain ankle pronation due to hypotonia
- Strengthening, kinesiology taping, and orthotic interventions
- Closed chain ankle plantarflexion stiffness due tohypertonia
- Strengthening, stretching/serial casting, kinesiology taping, and orthotic interventions
Chrys Kub, PT, is NDT trained in Pediatrics and an integrative physical therapist with over 25 years of clinical experience. Chrys has developed and taught courses in evidenced based treatment techniques for children with neurodevelopmental disorders as well as courses in therapeutic yoga applications for children and adults throughout the US and online. She has extensive experience in multiple settings including outpatient neurological rehabilitation, the school, Private Practice, Outpatient Sensory Integration Clinic, NeoNatal Home Health, and Early Intervention. Through her work in physical therapy, she has utilized treatment techniques such as myofascial release, joint mobilization, kinesiotaping, and therapeutic yoga integrated with traditional pediatric neurological modalities. Early Bird Early Intervention Services. She established FitYogaTherapy, an organization dedicated to the education of practitioners in yoga therapy and pediatric physical therapy. Chrys is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and CEU provider. For additional information, visit www.fityogatherapy.com.
DISCLOSURES
FINANCIAL: Chrys Kub is compensated as the owner and operator of FitYoga Therapy, and as a Physical Therapist at Early Bird Early Intervention Services. She is compensated by Summit as an instructor.
NONFINANCIAL: Chrys Kub has no nonfinancial relationships to disclose.
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