Paediatric Physiotherapy

Children are not small adults. Their musculoskeletal systems are growing, their neurological development is ongoing, and the conditions that bring them to a physiotherapy clinic are different from those seen in adults. A child with toe-walking, flat feet, developmental coordination disorder, or a sports injury needs assessment and treatment adapted to their age, their developmental stage, and how their bodies work. The physiotherapist working with children needs to understand normal developmental milestones, recognise deviations from normal development, and deliver treatment in ways that are appropriate and engaging for the age of the child.

Developmental concerns are among the most common reasons for referral — when a child isn’t meeting gross motor milestones like sitting, crawling, standing or walking within expected age ranges. Hypermobility, common in children, frequently causes pain, fatigue, and joint injuries from poor proprioception. Flat feet are extremely common in young children and usually resolve by around six without intervention; persistent flat feet causing pain or altered gait after that age benefit from assessment. Toe-walking can be habitual or reflect tight calves, sensory processing differences, or a neurological condition — assessment differentiates between these and guides the right treatment.

Sports injuries in growing adolescents include growth-plate injuries and conditions like Osgood-Schlatter disease, which need careful load management because growing tissue is more vulnerable than mature bone. Post-surgical rehab for children — hip dysplasia surgery, Perthes disease, limb lengthening — is adapted to the child’s age and specific post-operative requirements throughout.