Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation

Physical therapy (PT) is one of the core methods of working with children with neurological conditions and the foundation of the rehabilitation programme at Boya Hospital. Sessions focus on restoring motor function, correcting abnormal postures and stimulating normal motor development. Every programme is built individually: exercises and techniques are selected around the child's condition, age and current abilities.

Methods

• Bobath method — neurodevelopmental therapy aimed at normalising muscle tone and building correct movement patterns.
• Vojta method — reflex therapy: stimulating specific zones of the body activates innate motor reflexes. Vojta therapy is part of the centre's PT programme.
• CME (Cuevas Medek Exercises) — a dynamic exercise system for developing body control and balance.
• Joint mobilisation — manual techniques aimed at restoring joint mobility.
• Traditional Chinese musculoskeletal techniques — complementing Western methods within the centre's integrated approach.

What we work on

Training targets a wider range of joint motion, reduction of increased muscle tone, fading of pathological reflexes, correction of abnormal postures and stimulation of normal motor development. Active and passive exercises are combined to strengthen key muscle groups, while targeted work with antagonist muscles helps engage neuroplasticity — the brain's ability to reorganise and adapt.

A programme for each form of cerebral palsy

Each form of cerebral palsy calls for its own progression: in spastic hemiplegia the focus is on symmetrical development and step-by-step verticalisation — from bridging and sitting to standing and walking; in spastic diplegia — on leg positioning, stretching and crawling practice; in quadriplegia — on releasing tension in the limbs and seated balance; in athetoid and ataxic forms — on postural stability, coordination and balance. Sessions progress from simple to complex as skills are mastered.

What parents should know

Sessions last 50 minutes and run up to 5 times a day — consistent work gives the child's body a constant stimulus to master new motor skills. PT is part of the centre's comprehensive programme and is combined with occupational therapy, apparatus physiotherapy, tuina massage and traditional Chinese medicine methods. Specialists also help parents learn elements of the exercises so progress can be reinforced between courses.