What Is Pain Management?
Pain management in pediatric physical therapy involves the assessment and treatment of acute or chronic pain to restore function, promote mobility, and improve quality of life.
- It incorporates a biopsychosocial approach, addressing physical, emotional, and behavioral components of pain.
- Can involve various strategies including therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, modalities, and pain education.
What Does Difficulty In This Area Look Like?
- Guarded or Compensatory Movement Patterns
A child may avoid using a painful limb or alter movement to protect the area, leading to secondary impairments. - Reduced Participation in Activities
Avoidance of play, sports, or daily tasks due to pain or fear of increased pain. - Decreased Range of Motion and Strength
Disuse or muscle inhibition associated with pain can limit function and prolong recovery. - Sensory Sensitivities
Hypersensitivity to touch, movement, or pressure may be present in conditions like Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). - Behavioral and Emotional Responses
Irritability, fear-avoidance behaviors, or anxiety related to movement or therapy sessions.
How Can PT Help With Pain Management?
- Therapeutic Exercise and Graded Exposure
Gradual reintroduction of movement to improve strength, flexibility, and confidence while reducing fear and pain. - Manual Therapy Techniques
Soft tissue mobilization, joint mobilization, or myofascial release to address muscle guarding and improve mobility. - Neuromuscular Re-education
Helps restore normal movement patterns and reduce compensatory strategies that may perpetuate pain. - Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE)
Teaching children and families about the science of pain to decrease fear and promote understanding of safe movement. - Sensory Desensitization Strategies
Graded tactile input and proprioceptive activities to reduce hypersensitivity. - Modalities (if age-appropriate)
Use of heat, cold, TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), or kinesiology taping for symptom relief. - Breathing and Relaxation Techniques
Incorporation of diaphragmatic breathing, guided imagery, or mindfulness to manage pain-related stress responses. - Family and Caregiver Training
Equipping caregivers with tools to support daily movement, reduce pain behaviors, and reinforce strategies at home.