Paediatric Musculoskeletal Development: Difference between revisions

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== Intro ==
<div class="editorbox"> '''Original Editor '''- [[User:Robin Tacchetti|Robin Tacchetti]] based on the course by [https://members.physio-pedia.com/course_tutor/krista-eskay/ Krista Eskay]<br>
And it really is all about this muscle pull and the movement patterns that we participate in throughout growth and development that cause these changes to happen. e expect these muscles to activate in appropriate ways that cause us to have the alignment we do as adults.  epending on if it's a genetic condition that is causing different activation of their muscles, that's causing abnormal bony alignment then their form and their function can both be directly impacted. This is also really important because whenever these babies have atypical alignment, they're going to practise an atypical alignment thousands of times a day. So if we don't have good alignment, you're going to get potentially an exacerbation of this malformation. It's also really important because again, as they start to stand and weight shift and have these ground reaction forces, if they're placed in the incorrect locations, then again you can get bony deposition in the wrong areas. And it's also really important because it can directly affect how our brain is wired and how much our body is actually mapped in our brain. And we'll go into that a little bit more.scoliosis, muscular dystrophies, trisomy 21, CP (cerebral palsy) if they have decreased tone. All of these things can cause abnormal muscle pull and abnormal alignment of your joints, which directly affects their functional participation.
'''Top Contributors''' - {{Special:Contributors/{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}</div>


== Introduction ==
The musculoskeletal system is influenced by many different factors as infants and children grow. It can adapt to the demands, or lack of demands, that are placed on it. The major load on bone comes from muscle forces. When muscle pull is altered due to genetic or neuromuscular conditions, alignment may be impacted. Atypical alignment can directly affect functional activities and an individual's participation.<ref name=":0">Eskay K.  Paediatric Musculoskeletal Development Course. Plus. 2023.</ref>


The following sections highlight key stages and changes that occur during musculoskeletal development.
== Rib Cage ==


== trunk ==
* Initially, the rib cage in infants is barrel-shaped and rigid; ribs are elevated and perpendicular to the spine
Infant:
* By 2 years, the rib cage is oblong-shaped; the ribs depress and develop an angulation in relation to their attachment with the spine - this is due to the diaphragm pull and forces from sitting/standing/walking; there is also lateral expansion of ribs (caused by breathing, the action of intercostal muscles, gravity)
* Atypical = persistence of the barrel shape


* rigid
== Trunk ==
* barrel-shaped
* elevated ribs
* ribs perpendicular to spine


2 years:
* Initially, infants have a [[Kyphosis|kyphotic]] spine
* Overtime this transitions to a more "neutral" spine (as seen in adults)
* Specific activities which encourage this transition:
** Prone push-ups and sitting activate the posterior chain musculature (i.e. the infant is pushing into thoracic extension)
** Crawling creates co-contraction of the anterior and posterior muscles (for stability)<ref name=":0" />


* ribs depress
=== Changes in Alignment to Consider ===
* ribs angle in relation to spine
===== Increased Curvature of the Spine =====
* oval-shaped
Increased curvature of the spine (i.e. [[scoliosis]]) can affect:<ref name=":0" />
* lateral expansion due to intercostal muscles
* diaphragm pulls ribs down
* sitting, standing and walking cause ribcage depression
* oblong-shaped rib cage


<nowiki>**</nowiki> abnormal development: persistence of barrel-shaped
* breathing
* lung positioning
* heart location
* visceral function


=== trunk: ===
== Pelvis ==
[[File:Anterior and posterior pelvic tilt shutterstock 1952124109.jpg|thumb]]
* Initially, infants have a rounded pelvis with a posterior tilt
* Sitting and standing activate core muscles, which leads to the development of an anterior pelvic tilt
** At 12 months old: an infant has 12 degrees of anterior pelvic tilt
** At 30 months old: a child has 15 degrees of anterior tilt
** Anterior tilt decreases to around adult angles (i.e. around 10 degrees) by age 8<ref name=":0" />


* begin with rounded spine (kyphotic)
== Lower Extremities ==
* prone push-up and sitting activates posterior chain musculature
Typical joint patterns in infants are as follows:  
* crawling: co-contraction of anterior and posterior muscles
* begin in kyphotic posture moving into a more neutral spine


<nowiki>**</nowiki> Abnormal: abnormal muscle pull can change spine position
* Hip: flexion, abduction and lateral rotation
* Knee: flexion, genu varum, medial rotation of tibia
* Ankle: dorsiflexion, slight pronation<ref name=":0" />
These joints are discussed in more detail below.


=== Pelvis ===
=== Hip ===
Infants are born with:
* increased hip external rotation which decreases over time
* hip adduction limitation
* 34 degrees of hip extension limitation
** as infants spend more time in prone, their anterior capsule stretches, decreasing the hip extension limitation
*** [[File:Coxa.png|thumb]]at 6 weeks old infants have a 19 degree hip extension limitation
*** toddlers have a 7 degree hip extension limitation
* increased coxa valga - 140-160 degrees
** as become more ambulatory, femoral neck angle decreases
** decreases over time to 126 degrees in adults


* over time increased lumbar and hip extension
* anteversion of the femur - 40 degrees
* begin with rounded pelvis and posterior tilt
** this decreases to 16 degrees in adults
* sit and stand: activate posterior chain and core muscles and anterior pelvic tilt
* 12 months: 12 degrees of anterior pelvic tilt
* 30 months: 15 degrees of anterior tilt
* increased gluteal activity, anterior tilt decreases slightly until age 8
* adult: 10 degrees of anterior pelvic tilt


== lower extremity: ==
==== Changes in Alignment to Consider (Hip and Pelvis) ====


* infants 34 degrees of hip extension limitation
===== Hip =====
* more time in prone - stretch anterior capsule
* 6 weeks-19 degrees of hip extension limitation
* toddlerhood-7 degrees limited
* birth- hip adduction limitation
* birth- high external rotation which  decreases over time
* birth- slight limitation in knee flexion
* five years- knee straight when hip flexed to 90


LE norm: hip: flexion, abduction and lateral rotation, knee: flexion, genu varum, medial rotation of tibia; ankle: dorsiflexion, slight pronation
* Femoral neck angle remains high - high femoral anteversion: increased risk of posterior hip dislocation
* Please note that it is especially important to consider the hips in children who are non-ambulatory at the age of 30 months<ref name=":0" />
===== Increased Anterior Pelvic Tilt =====
* Abdominals and hip extensors are long
* Hip flexors and lumbar extensors are short
*'''Leads to''' difficulty activating abdominals and [[Gluteal Muscles|gluteus]] muscles, which can make it difficult for children to engage in functional play / activities<ref name=":0" />


=== hip ===
===== Decreased Anterior Pelvic Tilt =====
*[[Iliopsoas]] and anterior hip capsule are long / stretched out
*[[Gluteus Maximus|Gluteus maximus]] is shortened
*'''Leads to''' anterior hip laxity and hip instability<ref name=":0" />


* newborn: increased coxa valga 140-160
===== Pelvic Obliquity =====
* decreases over time to adult 126
* Common in individuals with [[hemiplegia]] and diplegia
* anterversion of the femur newborn: 40 moving to 16 in adult
* Depressed hip side (shorter side):
** shorter, lower extremity or increased pronation on this side
** reduced stance time
** reduced loading, resulting in less bony deposition, so the [[Bone|long bones]] of this leg tend to grow at a slower rate
** sometimes functional ankle plantarflexion (i.e. so can reach the ground with this foot)
* Longer side:
** often have compensatory foot pronation
** there may be medial rotation of the lower extremity and knee flexion to compensate
*'''Leads to''' gait asymmetry, pelvic rotation on the shorter side<ref name=":0" />
*'''Significant increase in pelvic obliquity''' might contribute to:<ref name=":1">Karkenny AJ, Magee LC, Landrum MR, Anari JB, Spiegel D, Baldwin K. [https://journals.lww.com/jbjsoa/Fulltext/2021/03000/The_Variability_of_Pelvic_Obliquity_Measurements.13.aspx The Variability of Pelvic Obliquity Measurements in Patients with Neuromuscular Scoliosis]. JBJS Open Access. 2021 Jan;6(1).</ref>
**imbalances in sitting
**pain due to "impingement of the pelvis on the ribs"<ref name=":1" />
**ischial [[Pressure Ulcers|decubitus / pressure ulcers]]


<nowiki>**</nowiki> children who are more ambulatory, more independent will have a mean femoral neck angle that is lower than those who are more involved and less ambulatory.
=== Knee ===


<nowiki>**</nowiki> abnormal: femoral neck angle remains quite high, so they remain with this femoral anteversion. And this is a really big deal because what this can do is it can actually increase risk of hip dislocation.(posterior)
* Genu varum<ref>A El-Hak AH, Shehata EM, Zanfaly AI, Soudy ES. Genu Varum in Children; [https://ejhm.journals.ekb.eg/article_231636_f5bc851645db9d787fadaa87cf381506.pdf Various Treatment Modalities for Bowleg's Correction.] The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine. 2022 Apr 1;87(1):1858-63.</ref>
** infants born in genu varum (i.e. bow-legged position)
** by toddlerhood, knees are in genu valgum (i.e. knock-knee position) - genu valgum peaks around 2 1/2 years old and then decreases over time<ref name=":0" /><ref>Ganeb SS, Egaila SE, Younis AA, El-Aziz AM, Hashaad NI. [https://erar.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s43166-021-00082-1 Prevalence of lower limb deformities among primary school students]. Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation. 2021 Dec;48:1-7.</ref>
** by adulthood, knee should be in neutral[[File:Genuvarus.jpg|thumb]]
* Knee flexion
** infants born with 30 degree knee flexion contracture
** resolves in the first few months of life
* Infants are born with medial rotation of the tibia
** this resolves by 12 months<ref name=":0" />


=== knee ===
==== Changes in Alignment to Consider ====
So that knee flexion contracture as they can get hands to feet and stretch out is really going to allow them to reduce that knee flexion contracture over time.  So at birth we would expect to see when it comes to knee flexion now, so that they would have about a 30 degree knee flexion contracture. This often resolves in the first few months of life. We really see this resolve with a lot of hands to feet activity. Gravity that's pulling down on their legs to be able to stretch out that posterior capsule of the knee.


f you have too much lateral tibial torsion, what we'll often see is crouched posture. The other thing that we can see is too much medial tibial torsion. And so this is when we don't have a resolution of the torsion and it stays in that internal twist. This is really not as common to see. A lot of times when we think about our kids that toe inward most of the time that medial rotation is happening a little higher up and not so much at the tibia.
===== Increased Medial Tibial Torsion =====


* Internal rotation of the tibia
* Not common
* Toeing in
* Most likely associated with medial rotation occurring higher up in the chain<ref name=":0" />


===== Increased Lateral Tibial Torsion =====


Muscle pull over time
* External rotation of the tibia


already, you have this greater trochanter as weight shifts happen, there is increased pull on the greater trochanter because there's so many muscle attachment points in that region. And as those muscles pull and attach, what we get is both compression and a laydown of bone on the uppermost border of the femoral neck. And this can actually change the angle of inclination over time. So you have these muscles like the piriformis which does a lot of external rotation and abduction. The gluteus medius that's going to do abduction, external rotation and internal rotation depending on its angle. And then the gluteus minimus it's going to be doing abduction and internal rotation. So as these muscles are all firing, as they're activating, as infants are starting to stand, as they're starting to do weight shifts, we get this compression on. So you think about all these muscles pulling in on the greater trochanter so that's going to cause laydown of more bony tissue. And as that does that we're going to see changes in the angle of inclination.
* Individuals present with crouched posture<ref name=":0" />


Next, let's look at those torsional forces on the femur. So we know that originally there's this medial twist on the femoral shaft. In newborns it's around 40 degrees. This decreases over time into adulthood to around 10 to 16 degrees. And what we're really looking at when we measure this is drawing a line that goes through the femoral head. And then another line that is going to go along the condyles of the femur distally. And we're looking at the angle between those two. So if you look at this change here, so what we're really looking at is we have that femoral head, that femoral neck, how much that is rotated on the shaft is really what is causing that change between the positioning of the femoral head and then that twist downwards to where the condyles are at. This changes over time due to, again, function. So this form is directly related to function and vice versa. So all of these activities that require stabilisation by the glute med will help to resolve not only the coxa valga, but also this antetorsion, this anteverion. This also helps to resolve the hip flexion contracture. So as babies are starting to crawl, as they're extending their hips, as they're using their glute max all of these things will cause different muscle pulls on the femur, on the femoral head. And then also we'll start to see some activation of the adductors along the thigh. And all of these loading forces will actually help to extend and laterally rotate the hip.
===== Increased Genu Valgum =====
Possible impairments:
* pain in calf, thigh and/or knee
* increased fatigue with activities
* less efficient gait
** decreased gait velocity
** decreased balance
* increased Q-angle
**[[Quadratus Femoris|quadriceps]] less efficient secondary to abnormal muscle pull<ref name=":0" /><ref>Çankaya T, Dursun Ö, Davazlı B, Toprak H, Çankaya H, Alkan B. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7344134/ Assessment of quadriceps angle in children aged between 2 and 8 years]. Turkish Archives of Pediatrics/Türk Pediatri Arşivi. 2020;55(2):124.</ref>
* lateral subluxation of the [[patella]]
* collapse of the medial foot arch
* protective in-toeing<ref name=":0" />


As that is done, what we will see is that twist decreases over time. Now, what happens if this doesn't go right? This is really looking at femoral anteversion. So they're looking at this femoral neck angle, axis of the femoral neck in relation to that trans condylar line. And so typically we would expect to see that this anteversion is changing and decreasing over time. But what we see is that for infants who have cerebral palsy so this is looking at the GMFCS (Gross Motor Function Classification System) which is a scale that we use to be able to classify level of involvement of individuals who have cerebral palsy. So a GMFCS level of one is the most independent, and a GMFCS level of five is the least independent when we're talking about our children with cerebral palsy. So you can see that those children who are more ambulatory, more independent will have a mean femoral neck angle that is lower than those who are more involved and less ambulatory. So their femoral neck angle remains quite high, so they remain with this femoral anteversion. And this is a really big deal because what this can do is it can actually increase risk of hip dislocation.
=== Ankles/Feet ===
Infants are born with:
* hindfoot varus
** with weight bearing, transitions to valgus
* feet straight forward or slight pointing in
** toeing out increases in adults
* high arch<ref name=":0" /><ref>Sanpera I, Villafranca-Solano S, Muñoz-Lopez C, Sanpera-Iglesias J. [https://eor.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/eor/6/6/2058-5241.6.210021.xml How to manage pes cavus in children and adolescents?]. EFORT Open Reviews. 2021 Jun;6(6):510.</ref>
** adults tend to transition to flatter feet<ref name=":0" />
 
== Role of Paediatric Physiotherapy ==
Physiotherapists can help facilitate correct movement patterns to improve biomechanical alignment. Early intervention is associated with better functional outcomes. Some interventions that paediatric physiotherapists use are listed below:
 
* weight shifts
* loading
* static positioning devices
* [[splinting]]
* [[Bracing for Clubfoot|bracing]]<ref name=":0" />
 
The video below by Pathways demonstrates a 2-month-old typical vs. atypical development side by side:
{{#ev:youtube| _0cErYu3A8Q}}
 
 
== Resources ==
 
* [[Biomechanics]]
* [[Infant Development]]
* [[Coxa Vara / Coxa Valga]]
* [[Valgus Knee]]
 
== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Paediatrics]]
[[Category:Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedics]]
[[Category:Course Pages]]
[[Category:Plus Content]]

Latest revision as of 14:54, 14 January 2024

Original Editor - Robin Tacchetti based on the course by Krista Eskay
Top Contributors - Robin Tacchetti, Jess Bell and Naomi O'Reilly

Introduction[edit | edit source]

The musculoskeletal system is influenced by many different factors as infants and children grow. It can adapt to the demands, or lack of demands, that are placed on it. The major load on bone comes from muscle forces. When muscle pull is altered due to genetic or neuromuscular conditions, alignment may be impacted. Atypical alignment can directly affect functional activities and an individual's participation.[1]

The following sections highlight key stages and changes that occur during musculoskeletal development.

Rib Cage[edit | edit source]

  • Initially, the rib cage in infants is barrel-shaped and rigid; ribs are elevated and perpendicular to the spine
  • By 2 years, the rib cage is oblong-shaped; the ribs depress and develop an angulation in relation to their attachment with the spine - this is due to the diaphragm pull and forces from sitting/standing/walking; there is also lateral expansion of ribs (caused by breathing, the action of intercostal muscles, gravity)
  • Atypical = persistence of the barrel shape

Trunk[edit | edit source]

  • Initially, infants have a kyphotic spine
  • Overtime this transitions to a more "neutral" spine (as seen in adults)
  • Specific activities which encourage this transition:
    • Prone push-ups and sitting activate the posterior chain musculature (i.e. the infant is pushing into thoracic extension)
    • Crawling creates co-contraction of the anterior and posterior muscles (for stability)[1]

Changes in Alignment to Consider[edit | edit source]

Increased Curvature of the Spine[edit | edit source]

Increased curvature of the spine (i.e. scoliosis) can affect:[1]

  • breathing
  • lung positioning
  • heart location
  • visceral function

Pelvis[edit | edit source]

Anterior and posterior pelvic tilt shutterstock 1952124109.jpg
  • Initially, infants have a rounded pelvis with a posterior tilt
  • Sitting and standing activate core muscles, which leads to the development of an anterior pelvic tilt
    • At 12 months old: an infant has 12 degrees of anterior pelvic tilt
    • At 30 months old: a child has 15 degrees of anterior tilt
    • Anterior tilt decreases to around adult angles (i.e. around 10 degrees) by age 8[1]

Lower Extremities[edit | edit source]

Typical joint patterns in infants are as follows:

  • Hip: flexion, abduction and lateral rotation
  • Knee: flexion, genu varum, medial rotation of tibia
  • Ankle: dorsiflexion, slight pronation[1]

These joints are discussed in more detail below.

Hip[edit | edit source]

Infants are born with:

  • increased hip external rotation which decreases over time
  • hip adduction limitation
  • 34 degrees of hip extension limitation
    • as infants spend more time in prone, their anterior capsule stretches, decreasing the hip extension limitation
      • Coxa.png
        at 6 weeks old infants have a 19 degree hip extension limitation
      • toddlers have a 7 degree hip extension limitation
  • increased coxa valga - 140-160 degrees
    • as become more ambulatory, femoral neck angle decreases
    • decreases over time to 126 degrees in adults
  • anteversion of the femur - 40 degrees
    • this decreases to 16 degrees in adults

Changes in Alignment to Consider (Hip and Pelvis)[edit | edit source]

Hip[edit | edit source]
  • Femoral neck angle remains high - high femoral anteversion: increased risk of posterior hip dislocation
  • Please note that it is especially important to consider the hips in children who are non-ambulatory at the age of 30 months[1]
Increased Anterior Pelvic Tilt[edit | edit source]
  • Abdominals and hip extensors are long
  • Hip flexors and lumbar extensors are short
  • Leads to difficulty activating abdominals and gluteus muscles, which can make it difficult for children to engage in functional play / activities[1]
Decreased Anterior Pelvic Tilt[edit | edit source]
  • Iliopsoas and anterior hip capsule are long / stretched out
  • Gluteus maximus is shortened
  • Leads to anterior hip laxity and hip instability[1]
Pelvic Obliquity[edit | edit source]
  • Common in individuals with hemiplegia and diplegia
  • Depressed hip side (shorter side):
    • shorter, lower extremity or increased pronation on this side
    • reduced stance time
    • reduced loading, resulting in less bony deposition, so the long bones of this leg tend to grow at a slower rate
    • sometimes functional ankle plantarflexion (i.e. so can reach the ground with this foot)
  • Longer side:
    • often have compensatory foot pronation
    • there may be medial rotation of the lower extremity and knee flexion to compensate
  • Leads to gait asymmetry, pelvic rotation on the shorter side[1]
  • Significant increase in pelvic obliquity might contribute to:[2]

Knee[edit | edit source]

  • Genu varum[3]
    • infants born in genu varum (i.e. bow-legged position)
    • by toddlerhood, knees are in genu valgum (i.e. knock-knee position) - genu valgum peaks around 2 1/2 years old and then decreases over time[1][4]
    • by adulthood, knee should be in neutral
      Genuvarus.jpg
  • Knee flexion
    • infants born with 30 degree knee flexion contracture
    • resolves in the first few months of life
  • Infants are born with medial rotation of the tibia
    • this resolves by 12 months[1]

Changes in Alignment to Consider[edit | edit source]

Increased Medial Tibial Torsion[edit | edit source]
  • Internal rotation of the tibia
  • Not common
  • Toeing in
  • Most likely associated with medial rotation occurring higher up in the chain[1]
Increased Lateral Tibial Torsion[edit | edit source]
  • External rotation of the tibia
  • Individuals present with crouched posture[1]
Increased Genu Valgum[edit | edit source]

Possible impairments:

  • pain in calf, thigh and/or knee
  • increased fatigue with activities
  • less efficient gait
    • decreased gait velocity
    • decreased balance
  • increased Q-angle
  • lateral subluxation of the patella
  • collapse of the medial foot arch
  • protective in-toeing[1]

Ankles/Feet[edit | edit source]

Infants are born with:

  • hindfoot varus
    • with weight bearing, transitions to valgus
  • feet straight forward or slight pointing in
    • toeing out increases in adults
  • high arch[1][6]
    • adults tend to transition to flatter feet[1]

Role of Paediatric Physiotherapy[edit | edit source]

Physiotherapists can help facilitate correct movement patterns to improve biomechanical alignment. Early intervention is associated with better functional outcomes. Some interventions that paediatric physiotherapists use are listed below:

The video below by Pathways demonstrates a 2-month-old typical vs. atypical development side by side:


Resources[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Eskay K. Paediatric Musculoskeletal Development Course. Plus. 2023.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Karkenny AJ, Magee LC, Landrum MR, Anari JB, Spiegel D, Baldwin K. The Variability of Pelvic Obliquity Measurements in Patients with Neuromuscular Scoliosis. JBJS Open Access. 2021 Jan;6(1).
  3. ↑ A El-Hak AH, Shehata EM, Zanfaly AI, Soudy ES. Genu Varum in Children; Various Treatment Modalities for Bowleg's Correction. The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine. 2022 Apr 1;87(1):1858-63.
  4. ↑ Ganeb SS, Egaila SE, Younis AA, El-Aziz AM, Hashaad NI. Prevalence of lower limb deformities among primary school students. Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation. 2021 Dec;48:1-7.
  5. ↑ Çankaya T, Dursun Ö, Davazlı B, Toprak H, Çankaya H, Alkan B. Assessment of quadriceps angle in children aged between 2 and 8 years. Turkish Archives of Pediatrics/Türk Pediatri Arşivi. 2020;55(2):124.
  6. ↑ Sanpera I, Villafranca-Solano S, Muñoz-Lopez C, Sanpera-Iglesias J. How to manage pes cavus in children and adolescents?. EFORT Open Reviews. 2021 Jun;6(6):510.
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