2 Reasons Your Child Might Go To Physical Therapy After Breaking Their Leg

If your child ends up injured with a broken leg, your doctor is going to do a lot of things for your child. One is to take X-rays of the injury so that it can be evaluated. The doctor is going to need to have that information to see if they need to have surgery or not, or if they can just get a cast. Once your child gets out of their cast, that's not going to be the end of the doctor's involvement in the treatment of your child's broken leg. They may also recommend a course of physical therapy. Your doctor may think that your child needs to have a course of physical therapy for many reasons. 

Proprioception

Proprioception is a fancy word that means the way your body knows where it is in space. It's the thing that will let you stick your arms out, close your eyes, and touch your nose. Having issues with your proprioception can cause you to fall or have issues with your balance. If your child is in a cast for a long time, then their sense of proprioception might be off, and they may have a hard time getting around when the cast is removed. Physical therapy can help them regain their proprioception. 

Strengthen

When a leg has been in a cast for a long time, the muscles start to wither a little. That's just because the leg has been immobile and those muscles haven't been working, so they have lost their tone a bit. It's generally not something that is hugely visibly noticeable unless your child has been in a series of casts for several months, but you may see a bit of difference. Physical therapy can help your child get those muscles up and working again. The therapist will work with your child during their sessions, and then give you a list of exercises that your child can do when they are at home so that they can continue to strengthen their leg. The better and stronger your child's leg is, the more they are going to be able to get back to their busy life. 

When your child breaks their leg, they are going to end up in a cast for at least a few weeks. After your child gets out of their cast, your doctor might want to send your child to a physical therapist. The therapist can help your child so that they feel like they are back to normal. 

For more information, contact a medical center that offers physical therapy treatment.