When a self-lengthening intramedullary nail, such as an Ellipse nail, is used to help treat your child's limb length discrepancy, physical therapy is essential in ensuring a successful outcome for your child, along with an individualized care plan.
Children with limb length inequalities, along with their families and caregivers, can look forward to a family-centered, multidisciplinary approach to their care at Shriners Children’s. Each treatment plan is individualized to the child’s and family’s specific goals and needs.
Shriners Children’s understands there is no “one size fits all” solution when it comes specialized pediatric care.
Your child’s surgeon will work closely with you and your care team to create the best treatment plan to help your child reach his or her goals, and to meet your needs as a family. If a surgical lengthening is recommended, your surgeon will advise whether a lengthening with an external fixator, or with an Ellipse self-lengthening nail, would be the safest and most effective option for your child.
During surgery to lengthen a bone with a self-lengthening nail, the surgeon places the self-lengthening nail into the bone, and secures it with screws at each end of the nail. With an Ellipse nail, the nail and screws remain completely inside the leg, and the parent or guardian assists with the lengthening process by using an external magnetic device according to a specific schedule each day.
An individually designed physical therapy (PT) or occupational therapy (OT) treatment program is a critical component of any successful limb lengthening. You will most likely meet your physical therapist prior to surgery and may be given an exercise program at that time to prepare your child for the lengthening procedure. Each child’s course of therapy will include specific exercises to help stretch muscles and joints and to maximize strength as the limb is lengthened, along with functional activities to improve ease of movement and promote independent mobility and activities of daily living.
Outpatient PT or OT treatments and daily home exercise programs are prescribed while the limb is being lengthened, and continue through a subsequent period of bone healing and rehabilitation, which may continue for a total of six to 12 months on average. Some children will also benefit from a PT or OT exercise program to improve strength and mobility even before surgery, and will be provided with the necessary instruction and recommendations during a preoperative outpatient clinic appointment.
Consistent, daily parent or guardian participation in each child’s after-surgery care is crucial to achieving a successful outcome. Parents or guardians participate in the following ways:
Children with a more significant limb length discrepancy may require more than one lengthening procedure in order to equalize the limb lengths as much as possible. Whatever your child’s treatment plan, our Shiners Children’s specialized care team, our Shriners family, is here to guide and support you through every step of your journey.
Specific treatments and services may vary by location. Please contact a specific location for more information.
The therapists could not have been better.
