Lordosis in children is a bend in the spinal column, the bulge of which faces anteriorly. Moderate lordosis of the cervical and lumbar spine is considered the physiological norm. Characteristic deflections in the children’s spine appear when the baby begins to master complex movements: roll over, sit, jump, walk. Small bends serve as natural shock absorbers, quenching shocks and blows during body movement.
Thus, a small lordosis is present in all children and adults. But if the dimensions of the concavity are outside the permissible limits, doctors call such a violation pathological lordosis. Our conversation today is about the causes of occurrence and how to treat such spinal curvatures.
Cervical Pathology
It is a reinforced bending of the cervical vertebrae. With excessive lordosis in the neck area, the head of the child prominently protrudes. To ensure the balance of the body, the cervical region has to withstand increased stress. Over time, this becomes the cause of adverse changes in the structure of the bone skeleton.
The bodies of the vertebrae strongly diverge and bend like a fan. There is a decrease in bone density, an increase in intervertebral discs. The processes of the adjacent vertebrae are compressed and compacted, touching the nerve endings.
It is possible to suspect the occurrence of cervical lordosis with the child’s complaints of constant pain in the neck, not associated with inflammation or injury. But in general, this type of lordosis deformity is rarely observed in babies.
Lumbar lordosis In Children
This type of disease is most common in children. The loin assumes most of the skeletal load, so most often the children’s spine is bent according to the hyperlordotic type. In this case, the vertebral arch bows forward to one degree or another stronger than the physiological norm.
Hyperlordosis of the lumbosacral region is visually manifested by impaired posture. Parents note in a child a characteristic stoop, an increase in the abdomen that is not associated with eating.
Causes of Childhood Illness
There is primary lordosis when abnormalities in the structure of the spine occur even at the stage of the formation of the fetus. In secondary forms of the disease, the causes are much more diverse. The success of further treatment of the baby depends on their correct identification, therefore, it is not worth neglecting the stage of qualitative diagnostics. At an early age, the following reasons may lead to the formation of lordosis in children:
- Rickets,
- Deforming osteoarthritis.
- Congenital dislocation of the hip.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, in particular, osteochondropathy. Underdevelopment of bone and cartilage tissue causes various spinal deformities.
- Hypertension of the muscles supporting the bone skeleton.
- Violation of posture.
- Pronounced flatfoot.
- Injuries, including generic.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
In addition to medical reasons, the amplification of vertebral bends can occur due to such a seemingly ordinary problem as a child’s rapid growth. In this case, the muscles do not have enough time to get stronger enough to securely hold the growing body in an upright position.
Increased risk of skeletal deformities in overweight children. At the same time, the development of lordosis has compensatory reasons. The spine flexes, trying to maintain balance, disturbed by the pressure of considerable body weight.
Doctors say that some sports can also cause the development of lordosis in children. This group includes ballet, ballroom dancing, weightlifting, archery. As for the mechanisms of this connection, doctors are still debating, but one cannot argue with statistics.
Medical classification
The effectiveness of the treatment of children’s lordosis depends on whether it is possible to return the body to a physiologically correct position. With this in mind, lordosis is divided into:
- Unfixed, in which the child can straighten his back.
- Fixed – rigid deformation, which does not allow to give the back a normal configuration.
Fixed forms occur in children with severe pathologies, in particular, cerebral palsy. In most cases, the compensatory abilities of an early age are so great that a competent treatment allows you to successfully correct such distortions.
How is the disease manifested?
Symptoms of lordosis are quite pronounced and easy to diagnose. Usually, at the doctor’s office, parents talk about the following complaints:
- Constant pain sensitivity of the neck or lower back.
- Fatigue during physical activity in kindergarten or school.
- Headaches,
- Change in posture and gait (drooping of the head, protrusion of the abdomen, deviation of the body back).
Thus, the initial signs by which hyperlordosis can be suspected are characteristic skeletal curvatures and pain in the area of pathology.
Possible complications
If you do not promptly address the correction of children’s lordosis under the supervision of a competent specialist, long-term consequences can be quite serious. In medicine, described cases where the progression of lordosis caused:
- osteochondrosis, arthrosis, intervertebral hernia;
- spinal mobility restrictions;
- inflammation of the muscles holding the spine;
- deformation of the sternum, leading to dysfunction of the lungs and heart;
- constriction of the intestine, which impairs its motor function, as a result of which spastic constipation develops;
- displacement of the kidney, causing urination disorders.
Violation of the full-fledged work of internal organs adversely affects the overall health of the child. It develops more slowly, gets sick more often, gets tired more quickly, which is reflected in the psycho-emotional background.
Diagnostics Lordosis In Children
Do not try to identify the child’s lordosis yourself without a visit to the doctor. To make a conclusion about the formation of this disease can only pediatric surgeon on the results of x-ray. X-rays should be made in direct and lateral projections. In this case, the child occupies the position of maximum forward tilt and full extension.
Comparing the obtained radiographs, the doctor will make a conclusion about the presence of vertebral deformities. More reliable information can be obtained by CT and MRI, which can detect frequent satellites of lordosis – arthrosis, protrusion, and intervertebral hernia.
A prerequisite for adequate treatment is the collection of information about birth injuries, developmental features and physical condition of the baby. At the reception, the doctor assesses the individual characteristics of the child’s posture, conducts tests to verify the fixedness of lordosis and neurological disorders. Spinal muscles are subject to mandatory examination to detect spasm, tone, and tropism of tissues.
Treatment of Lumbar Lordosis In Children
Lordosis is treated by pediatric orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, and vertebrologists. The main task of the joint work of doctors is to identify the main reason for the change in the normal configuration of the spinal column. If a history of rickets or metabolic disturbances are present, the problem cannot be solved without normalizing these conditions. In overweight, diet therapy is indicated.
In parallel with the specific treatment of the disease associated with lordosis, orthopedic procedures are performed. Depending on the severity of the pathology and the patient’s complaints, the complex treatment regimen may include:
- Exercise therapy;
- massotherapy;
- stretching the spine;
- physiotherapy techniques;
- kinesitherapy posture defects;
- drug therapy for pain symptom;
- Acupuncture;
In the most extreme cases when traditional methods do not bring relief, it is recommended to seek help from surgeons. Surgical treatment of lordosis is carried out in children with the most sparing techniques using special designs with pins.
The methods of manual therapy for musculoskeletal diseases in children should be approached with extreme caution. It is important to understand that there are quite tough, painful techniques that are not recommended at such a tender age. In addition, manual therapists are usually silent about the inevitable percentage of vertebral replenishment complications.
In case of strongly pronounced lordosis, the wearing of posture correctors is justified. Such devices must be chosen strictly according to size and worn in a certain mode. It should be borne in mind that the constant presence in the bandage can lead to a weakening of the spinal muscles, which will only worsen the situation.
Effective treatment of lordosis is impossible without strengthening the muscle corset. Courses of therapeutic exercises should be supplemented by feasible sports training: swimming, gymnastics, etc. Only then can the child in the future be able to forget about the negative manifestations of lordosis.
Complex for the correction of lordosis in Children
Invaluable help in the treatment of the spine can provide a wall or horizontal bar. It can be installed in the doorway.
All exercises should be performed smoothly, in the comfort zone, avoiding sudden movements. Start with a small number of repetitions (5-7) gradually bringing it up to 10-15 times. The complex is suitable for preschool children and older children.
- Become back against the wall. Fix the shoulder blades, buttocks and feet so that they touch the wall. Make sure the child touches the lower back to the wall.
- Standing, tilt the body forward. Cover your calves with your hands and bring your face as close as possible to your knees.
- Relax on a hard surface. Try to press your back closer to the floor.
- Raise the legs and pelvis at the same time, touching the knees of the forehead.
- Bent at the knees, pull up to the chest, clasping his hands. Hold the position for several minutes, trying to press down on his stomach.
- Sit down from a prone position, not helping yourself with your hands.
- Vis on the bar – helps to stretch the spine, straightening curved vertebrae. Start by hanging for 3 minutes, gradually increase the time as the child’s condition allows.
- Having mastered the hang on the bar, go to raising straight legs to a corner of 90 grams.
- Be sure to include in the complex exercises to pump up the press. Strengthening the abdominal muscles will remove the load from the lumbar and give it stability.
- Squat with arms outstretched. Keep your knees and feet parallel.
It is necessary to combine the treatment of lordosis with the implementation of such exercises for six months. After that, the child can proceed to more intense loads.
