What groups of exercise therapy are there for children and how the lesson is conducted?

A key component of helping kids enhance their physical health and wellbeing is exercise therapy, commonly referred to as therapeutic physical training. It’s not just about being physically fit; it’s also a means to help with recovery, control specific ailments, and promote general growth. Children receiving exercise therapy follow a meticulously planned program that is frequently divided into groups according to their individual needs and skills.

These groups can include anything from general strengthening exercises for kids in good health to tailored sessions for kids recovering from accidents or taking care of long-term medical conditions. Every group has distinct objectives, such as strengthening, expanding mobility, or enhancing coordination. The exercises are modified based on the child’s skill level and increase in difficulty over time.

An experienced professional leads an exercise therapy session, making sure the exercises are safe and suitable for the child’s age and condition. Warm-up exercises are usually the first part of a session, which is then followed by focused exercises and relaxation techniques. Children can experience noticeable gains in their confidence and physical prowess with regular practice.

Group	Lesson Description
General Development	Focuses on improving overall physical abilities. Exercises are simple and help strengthen muscles, improve coordination, and build endurance.
Corrective	Aims to correct specific physical issues such as posture problems or weak muscles. Exercises are customized to target these areas.
Respiratory	Designed to improve lung function through breathing exercises. Helps children with asthma or other breathing conditions.
Relaxation	Focuses on stretching and gentle movements to help children relax and reduce muscle tension.

The three primary categories of exercise therapy for kids are typically preventive, corrective, and rehabilitative. Every group focuses on a different set of needs, ranging from helping people recover from injuries to addressing specific physical issues to maintaining general health. A typical session is designed to be interesting and enjoyable, with activities catered to the needs and abilities of the child. Enhancing strength, coordination, and mobility in a fun, nurturing atmosphere that promotes the child’s emotional and physical growth is the aim.

Physical education – regular and therapeutic

Physical education in general is a fairly broad concept. Its goal is to improve physical development, strengthen the immunity of a baby or teenager. We are not talking about professional sports or conquering Olympic heights. It"s just that every toddler, regardless of age, gender, health status, needs physical activity. Naturally, babies and teenagers need it in different amounts. Physical therapy (PT) for children is indicated in the presence of certain health problems. It is a special set of exercises that tone or relax very specific muscle groups, joints, body parts. Physical therapy for children is prescribed not only for the treatment of existing problems and ailments, but also for the prevention of the disease, if the child, in the opinion of doctors, has a predisposition to it. The physical therapy complex is made up of sports-applied, gymnastic and game exercises. In medicine, there are several dozen different recommended complexes that are prescribed for the rehabilitation of disabled children, for recovery from injuries, for rehabilitation after operations.

Therapeutic gymnastics implies the presence of separate programs of classes for children and adolescents with respiratory diseases, for children with impaired motor functions, for children with kidney diseases and other organs, as well as for children with neurological disorders. In each of these groups, not only the established diagnosis is taken into account, but also the age, degree and severity of the disease, concomitant diseases. Only taking into account all of the above, the doctor can prescribe specific exercises for the child. The child"s physical education group or exercise therapy group is also of great importance, we will talk about them below. Most often, exercise therapy classes are part of a comprehensive treatment – they are combined with a visit to a physiotherapy room, massage, swimming in a pool, breathing exercises, auxiliary and alternative methods of treatment, as well as taking medications according to the scheme prescribed by the doctor.

The appropriateness of the load selected determines the efficacy of exercise therapy. It is incorrect—a common misconception—that a sick child should rest more. Even more than children without health limitations, sick children require physical education, but this physical education should be entirely different.

Health groups

Typically, all children are split up into five groups. Pediatricians are in charge of this division. Let’s discuss which kids fall into these categories and what kinds of physical activities are best for them in more detail.

First (Group A)

Children in good health without any chronic illnesses are included in this group. A member of the first group has developed physically and psychologically in a way that is entirely appropriate for his age. Other than age, there are no real limitations for him. Parents request therapeutic exercise therapy, which is only provided for preventive purposes. Exercise programs that focus on general strengthening, sports equipment classes, and general physical education are suggested.

Second (Group B)

A child who is generally healthy but slightly behind the reference age norms and standards in terms of height, weight, and physical development will be placed in this group by a pediatrician. Children with mild speech impairments and those who experience colds and viral illnesses more frequently than three to four times a year will be included in this group. This group raises the most questions because its criteria are the most ambiguous and imprecise. It is advised that children in this age group engage in general, restorative physical activity both with and without sporting equipment. It is advised to incorporate breathing techniques into it.

Third (group C)

This includes kids with chronic illnesses that don’t really affect their lives; in other words, they’re in a fully compensated state. In a state of remission, the child’s health is normal, and exacerbations are uncommon in these cases. If it does not result in other health issues, children with chronic bronchitis, prolapsed kidneys, and curved posture are typically placed in the third physical education group. For these kids, physical activity has been found to be therapeutic, and regular physical education class requirements are lowered.

Fourth (group D)

Children in a state of subcompensation with chronic illnesses are the target audience for this physical education class. If the child experiences exacerbations frequently, recovers slowly from them, and experiences poor health, specific, therapeutic exercises may be recommended. Children with mild forms of cerebral palsy and bronchial asthma are the most common conditions this group treats.

Fifth (group E)

This group is for kids with serious, chronic illnesses who have disabilities and are unable to attend kindergarten or school because of their illness. For them, exercise therapy classes in groups are uncommon; instead, these are one-on-one sessions with personalized goals related to the suggested complex.

The number of children in the first group is typically no more than 25% of all children; Ministry of Health statistics show that between 20% and 25% of children are fully healthy. The issue is that many children do not qualify for the first group not because they are ill, but rather because their conditions have not been identified yet, as certain illnesses progress slowly and without obvious symptoms. For physical education, children from the third and fourth groups are frequently combined into a single group because their physical education curricula are fairly similar. One classifies such a combined group as "special."

Parents are frequently curious about particular diagnoses. Since the effects of a compression fracture can vary, it can be challenging to determine which category a child with a spinal fracture will fall into. Predicting the group definition following pneumonia is no easier. In cases of spastic diplegia, hemiparesis, and torticollis, the group is fixed and subject to change over time. Exercise therapists focus specifically on the kinds of diseases in addition to the overall health status. As a result, kids with respiratory conditions typically attend classes in one group, while kids with motor impairments attend classes in another.

There is no division for young children. The only difference is that exercise therapy is advised to be started later for premature babies than for babies who are born on schedule. When a preschooler starts kindergarten, where they get physical education and gymnastics, they are divided into groups for the first time.

Program of classes

Group or solitary instruction is available. It is recommended that classes be conducted under the supervision of a specialist using diagnostic markers of the child’s condition, such as changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and other indicators, for children who belong to a special group (the third and fourth health groups). However, the primary factor is the individual’s health and capacity to bear the burden. Exercises for novices are typically straightforward and dosed. The patient’s tasks get harder as they go along, and the workload gets heavier. Programs centered on cyclic exercise with modest breathing loads are advised for kids with cardiorespiratory disorders.

It is also recommended that children with musculoskeletal disorders or those who have recently sustained injuries participate in swimming and pool gymnastics. Their main complex consists of ball exercises, gymnastic stick exercises, and wall exercises.

• introductory;
• main;
• final.

The first section consists of breathing exercises, walking, running, and warm-ups. The majority of the session always consists of games, individual exercises, and exercises with and without sports equipment that are advised for a particular pathology.

The lesson always ends with autogenic training, muscle stretching, and relaxation techniques and exercises.

Features of physical education for certain diseases

Exercise therapy is advised first in the hospital and subsequently in the outpatient clinic at the patient’s residence in the event of heart muscle damage (myocarditis). If there are no attacks, the baby is only moved to a specialized exercise therapy group after ten months. After a year, the child can move to the third group if the condition is stable and attacks do not recur. If everything goes according to plan, you should be able to join the general physical education group after two years.

Congenital cardiac defects make matters more difficult. A child may be eligible for group 4, but only if the procedure was performed at least a year ago and the child has completed exercise therapy successfully this year.

Boys and girls with bronchial asthma will stay in the exercise therapy group for as long as they continue to have frequent attacks. He might be permitted to study in the fourth group if the attacks stop after two months, and in the third group if they stop after a year.

If a child has colitis or chronic gastritis, they will only be moved from the exercise therapy group to the fourth physical education group after six months, provided there are no flare-ups. Exercises are recommended only when there is no pain, not during flare-ups.

Exercise therapy and other forms of physical activity are not advised in the case of hemophilia. However, mild to moderate exercise may be permitted only under a doctor’s supervision if the disease is not too severe.

Physical education should only be prescribed in situations other than attacks or acute phases due to kidney problems. Additionally, there shouldn’t be any coexisting cardiac conditions. The general health group cannot include children with renal failure, glomerulonephritis, or pyelonephritis.

Exercise therapy is advised in cases of severe endocrine pathologies from the outset of the condition, and a child with the mildest form of diabetes may only join a general group with a doctor’s specific approval.

A child with developed scoliosis should only exercise in an exercise therapy group; a child with posture disorders can and should not participate in general physical education classes. Children with myopia or hyperopia are taught in classes in special groups for severe deviations or in general physical education groups if the deviations are minor. There are no separate exercise therapy complexes for these children.

Where to exercise?

Exercises at home are advised for infants and disabled children whose mobility is restricted and whose transportation could endanger them. In other situations, parents have the option of working out alone or attending classes in groups.

Exercise therapy specialists can be found at kindergartens and schools, so make sure to inquire about them if needed when registering a child at any of these establishments.

Children can engage in enjoyable activities and enhance their health with exercise therapy. The different groups meet different needs, such as helping a child recover from an injury or with motor skills or posture.

Children are led by experts who modify exercises to meet their individual needs throughout the lessons. Play and movement are typically combined in sessions, which adds to the enjoyment factor while encouraging physical development.

All things considered, exercise therapy helps kids grow, promotes good habits, and helps them become more self-assured. It’s a constructive method with psychological and physical advantages.

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