What to do if a child twists his leg: tips for parents

Ankle sprain - a fairly common injury. It is rare in young children, since their ligamentous apparatus is quite flexible. However, at an older age, with awkward movements, walking on uneven surfaces, when the foot can turn in, this pathology is quite relevant.

Causes of injury

This damage occurs in children of preschool and school age, since their lifestyle is very active. Running, jumping and other uncontrolled loads can lead to joint injury. Tucking the foot in precisely at the moment of greater impact causes the stretching mechanism.

Factors predisposing to the development of sprains are the following:

• high arch of the foot;
• disorders of the innervation of the foot;
• imbalance in the development of muscle structures;
• congenital weakness of the ligamentous apparatus;
• different lengths of limbs;
• history of sprain.

Symptoms of ankle sprains in children

The clinical manifestations of this injury in children depend on the degree of damage to the ligamentous apparatus.

• I degree. The sprain is minor, there is no ligament rupture. The child may complain of mild pain that occurs during walking and when palpating the joint. The attachment site of the ligament may swell slightly. Walking function is not impaired.
• II degree. The stretch is moderate, the rupture is incomplete or partial. Hemorrhages and swelling are visually determined. The child feels severe pain when walking, which is partially possible.
• III degree. Separation of ligaments from the place of attachment or their rupture. Swelling and hematoma are detected. The joint is unstable, the child cannot stand on the injured leg.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing ligamentous injury is not difficult. Clinical local manifestations help determine the presence of damage. However, determining the degree of severity requires certain skills from the doctor, which include conducting special tests. Depending on whether a ligament rupture occurred, the child’s treatment will vary.

First aid and treatment, use of the Kramer ladder splint

First aid for an ankle injury consists of immobilizing the limb and transporting the child to the hospital. When transporting a child, a Cramer ladder splint can be used - a strong, rigid fixing structure designed to immobilize a limb.

Being universal, stair splints can be used for any injury to the arms and legs. The ankle is fixed by grasping the lower leg and thigh in a physiological position (the foot should be bent at an angle of 90 degrees to the lower leg). The child’s limb secured in the splint will not be damaged during delivery to the hospital, which will reduce the risk of developing painful shock, which means that the disease will not have a negative impact on the child’s psyche.

Also, when transporting on boards or other hard surfaces, it is recommended, if necessary, to secure the child with safety belts. This measure helps to immobilize the limb, and therefore reduce pain.

Treatment of the damaged joint is carried out by immobilizing it with a tight figure-of-eight bandage. For the first two to three days, cold is applied to the injury site. After this period - heat and physiotherapy. The patient is recommended to walk with weight bearing on the injured limb.

Bandaging should be done in such a way that the wrappings of the bandage help bring the damaged ligaments together (i.e., it depends on which ligaments are damaged).

In case of ligament tears, in the absence of sharp pain and hemorrhage, the joint restores its ability to work in one to two weeks.

When there is significant pain and hemarthrosis (bleeding in the joint), treatment tactics change. A joint puncture and local anesthesia are performed, followed by the application of a wide plaster cast.

Savitsky Vyacheslav Alfredovich, pediatric anesthesiologist-resuscitator

Preventing muscle strain

Since treatment takes a fairly long period, it is important to take care of proper prevention. Preventative measures include the following.

1. Thorough warm-up and warm-up of muscles before intense physical exercise and sports competitions. Some novice athletes neglect this simple rule and want to move on to full training as soon as possible. The result is sprains, dislocations and other unpleasant things. Therefore, several minutes of special exercises to increase muscle elasticity should be included in the mandatory training program.
2. Wear comfortable sports shoes when running and other active movements. Modern manufacturers produce sneakers for various sports: it is important to choose your option depending on the physical activity and the conditions in which the classes will be conducted (covering in the gym, range of motion, and so on).
3. Lifting weights carefully. It is not recommended to suddenly lift heavy objects, otherwise you may get a strain in the lower back muscles.
4. When performing physical exercises, you must follow the correct technique. Beginners are advised to take the help of a professional trainer.

Thus, treatment for a muscle strain includes measures aimed at pain relief and restoration of mobility of the injured limb or other part of the body. A minor injury may go away on its own, but if there is severe pain and swelling that does not go away for a long time, it is recommended to consult a specialist who will prescribe you appropriate medications and prescribe other methods of therapy.

Degrees of muscle stretch

Muscle strains are classified into three levels of severity:

1. Moderate muscle strain . Causes mild pain and goes away in a few days.
2. The average degree of muscle sprain is associated with weakness of the affected muscle and its painful contraction.
3. A complete rupture of the connection between muscle and tendon, manifested by severe pain and the inability to contract the damaged muscle. Swelling, internal bleeding, and bruising may appear in the area of ​​the damaged joint.

The main orthopedic problems arising in children under 3 years of age and their treatment

The main problems with the musculoskeletal system in childhood are considered to be torticollis, flat feet, scoliosis, and hip dysplasia.

A timely visit to an orthopedist will help you avoid serious health problems in the future. You should not delay your visit to the doctor if you notice the slightest changes in the child’s skeleton, even in the absence of complaints.

Torticollis

With the intrauterine development of pathology, it can be detected in the first months after birth. The acquired disease manifests itself in schoolchildren. Muscle spasms contribute to the development of torticollis. It appears in the first month, the child constantly turns his head to one side. After a couple of months, the head tilts back a little and the shoulder blades move apart. At six months, asymmetry of the spine, curvature of the neck and shoulders are already noticeable, and strabismus occurs.

It is not difficult to detect this and eliminate it at the initial stage. It is recommended to put the child to sleep in turns on different sides, undergo a course of massage, gymnastics, paraffin therapy and electrophoresis. If all these measures have not produced an effective result by six months, surgery will be required by two years. It is better to carry out treatment until 2 years, later even surgery will not give the desired result.

Flat feet

Every child has flat feet at the very beginning of his life. It is better to strengthen the muscles of the feet, and indeed the entire musculoskeletal system, with the help of massage and gymnastics for children. When the child begins to walk, you should choose the right shoes, preferably orthopedic ones, so that the arch of the foot develops in accordance with the norm. You should not choose shoes that do not fix the heel; it is better to give preference not to sandals, but to closed shoes with a small heel so that the heel is raised.

Flat feet are the most common disease of the musculoskeletal system, which affects the formation of posture and the entire skeleton as a whole. There are two types of flat feet: longitudinal and transverse.

Most often, flat feet are an acquired disease, but it can also be a congenital pathology; it is established immediately at birth, the arch of the foot is turned outward, and a bulge is visible on the sole. When treating a congenital disease, plaster casts are prescribed; if they are ineffective, then surgery is performed.

Up to two years of age, the shock-absorbing function in children is performed by a fatty bulge on the sole. In the period of 5-6 years, the formation of the foot ends and the presence of the disease can be diagnosed. The causes of acquired flat feet are as follows:

• Damage to the nervous system and its consequences
• Muscle weakness, excessive elasticity of ligaments. This may be due to physical exhaustion or rickets.
• Excess weight or heavy loads.
• Injuries such as fractures in the feet.

Parents can independently notice the first signs of flat feet. If the baby gets tired quickly, even if he doesn’t walk much, he asks to be held. If the shoe wears out quickly in certain areas, such as the inner edge of the heel and sole.

Early diagnosis of the disease and timely prescribed treatment, namely massage, gymnastics, salt baths, physiotherapy, as well as proper comfortable shoes will help in the future to avoid serious deviations in the musculoskeletal system.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a disease that is not fully understood. Most often it is associated with hereditary factors, since the development of the disease is observed in members of the same family. But the curvature of the spine

also due to a number of other reasons:

• Cerebral palsy;
• spinal injuries;
• Infections of the musculoskeletal system;
• Congenital pathologies that affect the bones and skeleton as a whole.

Other reasons for the development of scoliosis include weakness of the muscle corset, stress, and hormonal imbalance in the body.

If spinal scoliosis

, then a number of complications will follow. These include disturbances in the functioning of the respiratory system and heart. Pain in the back and knees is also a consequence of spinal curvature. Incorrect posture, uneven shoulders, hips, shifts in the ribs and waist - all these are consequences of advanced scoliosis.

Depending on the duration of the disease, the degree of curvature, and the age of the patient, appropriate treatment methods are selected. In the early stages and at a younger age (at 2-3 years), the treatment chosen is simple - massage, anti-scoliosis gymnastics, physiotherapy, and the child’s living conditions are also reviewed. The correct bed, mattress, chair, etc. is selected. Gymnastics is aimed at strengthening the muscle corset around the spine, which will not allow it to deform. In addition to the above procedures, wearing an orthopedic corset or surgical intervention is prescribed, in which special structures are installed to maintain the position of the spine.

Hip dysplasia

A hip dislocation may not be detected during initial examinations of the child by doctors. A weak ligamentous apparatus does not hold the femoral head, and it moves out of its usual position. Up to 3-4 months, hip dislocation can be determined using ultrasound. At 6 months, asymmetry in the leg folds can be observed, as well as different lengths of the lower extremities can be identified, which subsequently leads to a gait with swaying from one leg to the other, as well as scoliosis.

To treat dysplasia at an early stage, a Freik splint or Pavlik stirrup is used. With the help of this device, the head of the femur is held in a physiological position. After removing the device, several ultrasounds are performed to monitor the position of the hip. The recovery effect from treatment with the device is almost one hundred percent.

You should not delay treatment; after one and a half years, closed hip reduction under anesthesia is used to eliminate dysplasia, and older children require surgery.
Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr

Treatment for muscle strain

Treatment for a muscle strain can take anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on the extent of the damage. It is worth noting that muscle strains —especially back muscles—are often accompanied by ligament sprains. In this case, the recovery period may be delayed.

First aid for muscle strain

Provide rest to the injured muscle. When a muscle is strained, physical exertion and sudden movements should be avoided (complete absence of load on the damaged area is mandatory for 48 hours).

At first it’s cold. If you strain a muscle, apply ice to the injured muscle as soon as possible (for at least 20 minutes) and then apply ice every 4 hours for 48 hours to reduce pain and swelling. Pre-packaged ice packs, cubes wrapped in a damp towel, or even bags of frozen vegetables (like green peas) will work. However, you should not apply ice directly to the skin; it should be protected with a towel or wipes.

Fixation of the injured limb. If bruising occurs, it is necessary to apply an elastic bandage to the damaged area and place the limb in an elevated position to prevent the increase in tissue swelling.

If necessary, when stretching a muscle, you can use medications (analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs)

Treatment of muscle strain: use of NANOPLAST forte therapeutic patch

After 48 hours, the injured area will benefit from warmth. You can use warm compresses and hot baths. that is very effective and convenient at this stage of treatment for muscle strain . Read more >>>

Thanks to its unique properties, the NANOPLAST forte medical plaster not only relieves inflammation, but also has an analgesic effect, improves blood circulation in the injured area, and accelerates the resorption of hematomas. The course of treatment for a muscle strain usually lasts from 3 to 9 days.

In the case of a mild muscle strain, the healing process takes several days (usually no more than 3-5 days). For more severe sprains, and especially muscle tears, the treatment process will take a longer time (1-6 weeks). In this case, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), usually in tablet form, are used for anti-inflammatory treatment of soft tissue injuries. And here NANOPLAST forte can provide significant help - its use allows you to reduce the dosage and duration of NSAID use. Long-term course use of NANOPLAST forte is possible. Consult a specialist.

After pain and swelling have passed, restorative physical therapy is necessary.

Read more about NANOPLAST forte

Growing up healthy

The winter season is traditionally considered the peak incidence in children. Why is this happening?

Throughout the summer, our kids were isolated from large crowds of people. But now the time of vacations and holidays is coming to an end, parents return to work, children go to kindergarten and school, where the volume of harmful microorganisms and bacteria increases sharply, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and then it comes - a “family” micro-epidemic, which affects both children and adults.

Most often we get sick in the off-season and in winter - this fact is not surprising: a sharp change in weather conditions, increasing cold, air dried out by heating in living quarters, lack of vitamins, depletion of our “internal” reserves - all these factors together lead to weakening immune system. Add to this being in rooms with a large number of people, which, unfortunately, are not always regularly ventilated - and now we are already in the risk zone.

By themselves, hypothermia and a lack of vitamins can only reduce immunity, but the disease is caused by viruses and bacteria, which must be present in the body in a certain titer (concentration). This is a purely individual value, and if the titer is insufficient, the bacteria or virus will be quickly killed by our immune cells. If we talk about the children's immune system, it develops gradually, so it is more difficult for children to resist infection, and they are more often susceptible to diseases.

How to protect yourself and your child during this period? Fighting colds is a common task for the whole family, and there are a few simple rules that will reduce the risk of infection and help cope with the problem if one of your loved ones does get sick.

1. The most basic, but at the same time very important rule, which must be followed strictly and, in general, at any time of the year: wash your hands with soap after going out and immediately upon returning home.

2. Regularly ventilate the room you are in - this will help prevent the circulation of viruses in a closed environment. If we are talking about a nursery, then it is necessary to ventilate it at least 2-3 times a day for 10 minutes - in this case, of course, it is better to move the baby to another room while airing. If possible, leave rooms for airing when you go for a walk or shopping - when you return, the room will have purified air.

3. It would be a good idea to use humidifiers and air purifiers - today there is a wide selection of such devices in a variety of price categories, which will allow you to choose the best option from the point of view of the family budget.

4. Don’t forget to monitor your diet and your child’s diet - the diet should be as balanced as possible, taking into account vitamin deficiencies, and it must contain fruits and vegetables.

5. Walk more, remembering to dress for the weather. Walking has a positive effect on the body's condition, and the risk of contracting an infection in the fresh air is minimal.

6. If there is already a sick person in the house, try to ensure that he is isolated in a separate room, not forgetting about separate hygiene products (a towel, for example) and cutlery - this will help reduce the risk of spreading the infection.

7. During periods of seasonal epidemics of influenza and ARVI, as a preventive measure for diseases, it is recommended to rinse the nose in order to remove bacteria and other harmful microorganisms from the mucous membranes. You can use a seawater spray - it helps get rid of bacteria, has no side effects and is not addictive, and is effective both as a treatment for respiratory infections and for daily hygiene.

8. We begin to prepare for winter in the summer - a sufficient amount of vitamins and physical activity in the fresh air will help prepare the body for the autumn-winter season and increase its protective functions.

What is a muscle strain? Causes of muscle strain

A muscle strain is a traumatic injury to muscle fibers or the joint between muscle and tendon. A muscle sprain occurs when there is excessive tension in the muscles or ligaments, or when the muscles are overstrained as a result of loads higher than those allowed for the body.

Muscle strains can occur even in everyday situations - heavy physical work, inept lifting of weights, or being in an unusual or uncomfortable position for a long time can cause muscle problems. Most people pull their back or neck muscles when they try to lift something heavy without bending their knees and keeping their back straight. The muscles in your legs can be pulled if you strain too much while running, walking, jumping, or squatting with a heavy dumbbell without warming up first. In this case, the muscles of the back of the lower leg (calf) are most often stretched. Usually such injuries are accompanied by convulsions.

But muscles are especially often injured when performing various physical exercises and sports. A muscle strain occurs either as a result of too strong muscle contraction, for example, during unexpected sudden movements, or due to abnormal muscle function, such as a sudden change in the direction of the load on the muscle. Muscle strains can occur when performing stretching or flexibility exercises, especially with a partner. Often, muscle strain can occur during a sharp transition from one direction of movement to the opposite, during sudden movements in general, and also if the movements of body parts are uncoordinated. Accidental collisions and falls can also cause a muscle strain .

Factors contributing to muscle strain are a poorly developed muscle corset, as well as low daily physical activity of a person. Very often, muscle strain occurs due to intense physical activity, disproportionate to capabilities, as well as when the load is placed on unstretched, unheated muscles. Proper warm-up, “warming up” the muscles before performing physical work, reduces the likelihood of a sprain.

Muscle strains and microtears are accompanied by the development of painful muscle spasms. Soreness indicates damage, so you should stop exercising as soon as you feel pain.