Therapy

The therapy of Perthes disease is directed: In many cases, attempts are made to treat Perthes disease conservatively. However, this is only possible if there is no joint malposition. With the conservative treatment method, the affected person must relieve the leg.

This means that they have to resort to means such as walking aids (for short distances) and a wheelchair (for longer distances). To ensure that the joint is still moved, swimming and cycling are good alternatives during the therapy. In addition to this, physiotherapeutic treatment takes place at least twice a week in the ideal case.

The two main forms of therapy are usually manual therapy, whereby the physiotherapist actively influences dysfunctions of the joint by gently moving the joint, or physiotherapy according to Vojta, which is a complex system in which specific stimuli are set that imply certain posture and movement patterns. If a joint malposition is present, the affected patients often cannot get around an operation. In this case, a pelvic osteotomy is performed.

This is a repositioning operation in which malalignments can be corrected. Orthoses are only rarely used as a form of therapy because the risk-benefit ratio is not very good due to the excessive strain on the healthy leg. These topics might be of interest to you:

Always according to the stage of the disease in which the affected person is
As well as the general state of health
The age
The extent of the disease

Physiotherapeutic interventions for Perthes disease
Further therapeutic procedures for Perthes disease

Can I do sports if I have Perthes disease?

Perthes disease is a disease that leads to the slow disintegration and reconstruction of the hip bone. Once the disease has been diagnosed, it is important to take care of the hip joint and to put as little strain on it as possible. Especially for children, however, it is difficult to stop doing sports and to be dependent on medical aids such as crutches or even a wheelchair for a long time.

The good news is that with Perthes disease, sport does not and should not be completely avoided. However, sports that are as easy on the joints as possible should be chosen. These include cycling and swimming, for example.

Exercises that are learned during therapy are also possible. However, sports that place a great deal of stress on the hip joint, including apparatus gymnastics or contact sports, should be avoided for the duration of the disease so that worse injuries or permanent damage cannot occur. Basically, sport can be beneficial for the healing process in the current stage of the disease, since the metabolism of the joint is stimulated by movement. Which sports or exercises are possible should always be assessed by an experienced doctor or therapist with regard to the patient’s current stage of the disease. These articles may also be of interest to you, as this is precisely the kind of therapy that is gentle on the joints:

Physiotherapy for hip diseases
Physiotherapy exercises hip