Scoliosis and posture in children: sessions in Zaporizhzhia

Rehab Place is an outpatient physical therapy office in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Sessions are led by Oleksandr Kaliuzhnyi, a physical therapist in practice since 2012, who works with adults as well as with children and teenagers. Work is one-on-one, and the first consultation takes about 60 minutes.

The information on this page does not replace a doctor's consultation. A physical therapist does not diagnose and does not prescribe treatment.

In short: the four questions parents ask

"Is this actually serious?"

That is for a doctor to decide — not an internet search, and not our assessment either. Slouching and uneven shoulders are sometimes about posture and daily load, sometimes a sign of something that needs follow-up. The two can only be told apart at an appointment, through examination and, if the doctor considers it necessary, an X-ray. So the first step is a doctor, not a search for exercises.

"Will it sort itself out?"

Nobody can know that in advance. Periods of rapid growth are when changes in posture become more noticeable, so it is wiser not to put things off "until next year". If the doctor says monitoring is enough, that is a full answer too — and it takes the worry away.

"Which doctor should we see?"

Start with a paediatric orthopaedic doctor. A referral usually comes from your family doctor or paediatrician — also the person to ask if you are unsure there is anything to act on. The physical therapist comes in afterwards, working from the doctor's conclusion. How the roles divide.

"We have lost time — is it too late?"

Mobility, muscle strength and movement habits stay open to change at any age, and that is the part a physical therapist works with. But there is a long distance between "not too late to start" and "we will fix everything". We will not promise a result in advance — the doctor sets expectations.

Who does what: the doctor, the X-ray and the physical therapist

This is the main thing to understand before a first visit.

The doctor makes the diagnosis. Scoliosis is not judged by eye or from a photograph: the diagnosis and its grade are established by an orthopaedic doctor through examination and an X-ray, and the same doctor decides what happens next. We do not measure angles, name a grade or interpret images — that sits outside a physical therapist's scope.

A physical therapist works from the doctor's conclusion and does not replace it. Our part is movement: how the child stands, sits and moves, how mobile the spine is, whether the back and abdominal muscles have enough strength. That is what an exercise programme is built from — within the plan the doctor has set.

In practice:

• not seen an orthopaedic doctor yet — start there; it saves time and money;
• already have a report or images — bring them; we work from them;
• questions about a brace, how long to wear it, repeat imaging and referrals go to the doctor, and we do not rewrite other specialists' instructions.

That is why this page never uses the word "treatment" about our office. Treatment is prescribed by a doctor; physical therapy is work with movement, one possible part of the doctor's plan.

Poor posture and scoliosis are not the same thing

Parents often use the two words interchangeably, although they describe different situations. Poor posture is mostly about how a child has got used to holding the body: slouching at a desk, leaning to one side, standing on one leg — the attention goes to loads, habits and muscle strength. Scoliosis is a structural change in the shape of the spine, confirmed by a doctor through examination and imaging.

For parents the conclusion is the same either way: take your assumptions to a doctor. What differs is the plan that follows, and building it blind makes no sense.

A rounded back in a schoolchild — the most common reason parents call

The most common description sounds like this: "over the past year our child shot up, sits over homework for hours, the back has gone round, and by the evening they complain of being tired." The issue is usually not the desk or the phone, but the hours spent without moving.

At the consultation we look at how the child sits and stands up, how mobile the mid-back is, how the back and abdominal muscles work, and we go through the ordinary things: desk height, school bag weight, how often the child takes a break.

What we work with

• slouching or uneven shoulders and shoulder blades noticed at home or in a photograph;
• scoliosis diagnosed by an orthopaedic doctor — sessions within the plan the doctor has set;
• posture problems from long hours at a school desk, a computer or a phone;
• a child complaining of a tired back after school;
• a doctor has recommended physical therapy and you need a specialist to work from that conclusion.

Adults with back and neck pain have a separate page: back, neck and joint pain.

How the first meeting and later sessions work

The first meeting is a conversation with the parents, an assessment and the first exercises. We ask what you noticed and when, how many hours the child sits, whether there is sport or a history of injury, and whether a doctor has written a report. Then the movement assessment: how the child stands, bends and squats, and where mobility or strength is missing. A doctor's report is the starting point where one exists.

Sessions are one-on-one, at a pace a child can follow: tasks are chosen for their age, explained in plain words and made harder gradually. We show parents what we are doing and why, rather than handing over a list of don'ts.

The home part is not optional. A couple of sessions a week will not replace short daily repetitions: regularity at home does most of the work, while the office is where technique is checked and the programme adjusted. General principles are on the physical therapy page; where useful, soft-tissue techniques are added — see massage. We do not perform spinal manipulation, which is a physician-level intervention.

Scoliosis and posture exercises: why you should not take them off the internet

The honest answer: there will be no specific exercises here. Two children with backs that look alike often need opposite things, and a routine that helped someone else was chosen for their assessment and their limits.

Daily life, the desk setup and the signs worth catching early are covered separately: what parents of a schoolchild should watch for.

What genuinely is in a parent's hands — and works for any child:

• Movement every day. Walks, play, swimming, any club the child enjoys: overall activity matters more than "the right exercises" twice a week.
• Breaks from sitting. A change of position every half hour or hour does more than holding a perfect posture all evening.
• A workspace that fits. Desk and chair sized to the child, screen at eye level, feet supported.
• A school bag on both straps and without dead weight.
• A calm tone. Reminders to "sit up straight" produce guilt, not muscle strength; movement breaks work better than policing posture.

What is better avoided:

• "scoliosis exercises" from a video or someone else's advice, without an assessment;
• trying to work out a grade or the side of a curve yourself;
• putting off a doctor's appointment if anything from the list above has appeared;
• sharp twists or attempts to "put something back" at home.

These principles do not apply if the child is in pain, a doctor has restricted activity, there has been a recent injury or operation, or there is numbness or weakness in a limb. Then the doctor comes first.

The first visit

It takes about 60 minutes: a conversation with the parents, examination and testing, a plan and the first exercises. Bring comfortable clothes and indoor shoes for the child, plus any medical documents. A parent must be present.

Address: 28 Pavlokichkaska St., Zavodskyi district, Zaporizhzhia — how to find the office.

Accessibility

The office is on the ground floor, so there are no stairs inside. The entrance to the Zavodskyi Palace of Culture has a ramp, with parking next to it. Doorways are full width.

Worth knowing before you travel: the toilet in the building is not adapted for visitors with reduced mobility — please factor that into your visit.

What it costs and how to book

The first consultation costs 300 UAH — about 60 minutes: conversation, assessment, testing and a plan of work. Serving military personnel and veterans get 30% off the consultation and sessions: UAH 210 instead of 300.

The cost and frequency of later sessions are set after the assessment; reference figures are on the prices page.

To book, call +380 97 824 48 01. Describe what you noticed, how old the child is and whether you have seen a doctor.

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 09:00–19:00. Saturday by prior appointment. Sunday closed.

See also: physical therapy, back, neck and joint pain, massage, kinesio taping, prices.

Questions and answers

At what age should posture be checked, and how do I know there is a reason?

Regular check-ups from the start of school age make sense, with extra attention during periods of rapid growth. You cannot judge the nature of the change at home, and we do not advise trying. A parent's task is simpler: notice a reason to act — persistent slouching, shoulders at different heights, a tired or painful back — and take the child to a doctor.

Can scoliosis be corrected with exercise?

Promising to "straighten" a spine with exercise alone would be dishonest. Physical therapy works with what depends on movement: muscle strength, mobility, body control, everyday loads. The grade and the overall plan are set by the doctor.

Does my child need a brace?

That is decided by the doctor — a physical therapist neither prescribes nor cancels a brace. If one has been prescribed, we align the programme with the doctor's instructions. Questions about wearing time go to your orthopaedic doctor.

How many sessions per week are needed?

The frequency is set at the first consultation and depends on the child's age and condition, your schedule and the doctor's recommendations. A short home routine is added; over time most of the work moves home and visits become less frequent.

Do we need an X-ray before the consultation?

Referrals for imaging come from a doctor, so there is no need to arrange one before seeing us. If images and a report already exist, bring them.

Do you make home visits?

The main format is sessions at the office at 28 Pavlokichkaska St. A home visit is considered case by case — ask when you call.

We are abroad and arranging this for a child in Zaporizhzhia. How does that work?

Call the number above and describe the situation. A parent or guardian must be present at the consultation, and exercises are never prescribed remotely — the assessment happens in person.

The information on this page does not replace a doctor's consultation. For questions about diagnosis, examinations, bracing and safe levels of activity, speak to your child's doctor.