146 lines
6.8 KiB
XML
146 lines
6.8 KiB
XML
import Article from "@/components/Article";
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import { Metadata } from "next";
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export const metadata: Metadata = {
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title: "Article - Orthopedic Problems | Dr. Feely",
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authors: [{ name: "Richard A. Feely, D.O., FAAO, FCA, FAAMA" }],
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description: `The vast majority of orthopedic problems in childhood are seen
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in the lower extremities: the feet, legs, knees and hips. When one considers
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the vast changes that a small body must make as it grows from its cramped in
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utero position through crawling to walking, it is not surprising to find
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problems in the lower extremities.`,
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};
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const ArticlePediatricOrthopedicProblems = () => {
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return (
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<Article
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title="Orthopedic Problems"
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author="Richard A. Feely, D.O., FAAO, FCA, FAAMA"
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>
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<p>
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The vast majority of orthopedic problems in childhood are seen in the
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lower extremities: the feet, legs, knees and hips. When one considers
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the vast changes that a small body must make as it grows from its
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cramped in utero position through crawling to walking, it is not
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surprising to find problems in the lower extremities.
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</p>
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<p>
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The orthopedic condition routinely evaluated for at birth is “congenital
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hip,” where the head of the femur (upper leg bone) cannot seat itself in
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the too shallow depression present in the ilium (hip bone). Though it
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must be treated with bracing, osteopathic treatment helps to normalize
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the joint functions which were inevitably disturbed by the bracing.
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Osteopathic manipulative treatment, which looks to improve body function
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through addressing body structure, assists in the resolution of many
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common orthopedic conditions of childhood.
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</p>
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<p>
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Tibial torsion, the outward bowing of the lower leg, is caused b the
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cramped folding of the baby’s legs in utero, and often resolves
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spontaneously in the first year of life. However, if the torsion is
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accompanied by a distortion between the knee cap and the tibial bone, or
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between the tibia and the nearby fibula, these should be treated
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osteopathically, preferable before the baby begins to walk. When babies
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first stand, they often place their feet far apart for stability,
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thereby standing on the inside edges of their feet. If the stance
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remains wide beyond the first few months of walking, osteopathic
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treatment is recommended.
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</p>
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<p>
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Falling hard on one’s bottom is another normal component of learning to
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stand but is hard on the relationship between the sacrum (at the base of
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the spine) and the vertabrae of the lower back. This common insult, left
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untreated, is probably one of the underlying causes of low back pain
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suffered by adults.
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</p>
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<h2>Toddlers</h2>
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<p>
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Between 10 and 14 months of age, most children begin to walk. As more
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balance is gained, the distance between the feet should become the same
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as the distance between the hips, and the feet should point straight
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forward when the child stands, walks or runs.
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</p>
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<p>
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If this normalization of postural stance is not gained spontaneously,
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osteopathic evaluation and treatment should be pursued. The causes may
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be found in disturbed relationships of the bones of the pelvis or legs
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or in abnormal tensions of the connective tissues or muscles. Correcting
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these osteopathically early in life will foster healthy structural
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growth throughout childhood and adolescence. Although standard medical
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counsel advises waiting, with an expectation that gait abnormalities
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will resolve themselves, we all have seen school children and adults
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plagued with gait problems and the frequently associated back pain.
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</p>
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<h2>Older Children</h2>
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<p>
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Sports injuries are the cause of the vast majority of structural
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problems in this age group. Though they may not result in “skeletal
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deformity” (the common definition of an orthopedic problem), they are
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worthy of osteopathic consideration.
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</p>
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<p>
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Children are physically active by nature and should be both encouraged
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and enabled to engage in the physical activities that interest them.
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However, they as well as their parents must be prepared to accept the
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periodic injuries that accompany physical activity.
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</p>
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<p>
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Knee injuries are common in basketball due to the necessity of rotating
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one’s body over a foot planted on the court. Running sports, such as
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track and soccer, are ideally done only by children whose hip, knee and
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ankle line up vertically. Poor alignment fosters more frequent and more
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severe injuries. All activities played with balls involve the risk of
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impact from the ball, the most serious location being the head. The
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intentional “headers” of soccer are less damaging to the normal motion
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mechanics of skull joints than are accidental impacts. Football,
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gymnastics, and snow or ice-based sports are fraught with potential
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injury. Osteopathic treatment to release the sprains, strains and bony
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misalignments as they occur is good insurance toward a healthy and
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pain-free adulthood.
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</p>
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<p>
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Some skeletal problems of childhood affecting the hips and/or knees,
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such as slipped epiphysis, Perthes’ disease, Osgood Schlatter disease
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and synovitis, require cessation of sports activities for variable
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periods of time. Though they each have their appropriate orthopedic
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treatment, the recovery of full and pain-free joint function can be
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aided by osteopathic treatment, both during and after the disease
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process.
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</p>
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<h2>Scoliosis</h2>
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<p>
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Scoliostic curves of the spine are most commonly, though not
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exclusively, seen in girls between the ages of 10 and 14. The curves
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vary widely in their severity. The more severe fixed curves require
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bracing or surgical treatment. In scoliosis, the vertebrae are both
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sidebent and rotated. Ribs are displaced, and muscle groups are
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stretched or shortened. There is often a hip height discrepancy.
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</p>
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<p>
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Although discomfort is rare during adolescence, both pain and disability
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are likely to be experienced later in life if left untreated.
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Osteopathic manipulative treatment can be beneficial for both the more
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mild functional curves and for curves requiring more invasive measures.
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Osteopathic treatment can improve both spinal mobility and degree of
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curve.
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</p>
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</Article>
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);
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};
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export default ArticlePediatricOrthopedicProblems;
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