Children

Adults

Orthopedic and Movement Conditions

• Editorially Reviewed
• Evidence Based
• Patient Focused

Written by the DrSensory Editorial Team · Sources shown on each page · Last updated August 14, 2026

These are the conditions that affect how a child’s body is positioned and how it moves — a baby’s head held to one side, a toddler walking on their toes, the way a child sits on the floor, a curve in a growing spine. They are developmental and positional rather than the wear, injury and post-surgical problems that bring adults to physical therapy, and they are assessed and treated differently. Several are also far less alarming than parents are usually told.

Conditions covered here

In children

Torticollis

A tight neck muscle holding a baby’s head tilted to one side. Responds well to physical therapy, and earlier is better.²

Toe walking

Common in young children and usually resolves. What raises concern, and when it does not.

W-sitting

Widely said to be harmful. A systematic review found no evidence for that.¹

Scoliosis

How a curve is detected and monitored, what curve size determines, and why bracing works.

Pain and injury in adults

Low back pain

What actually helps, and why disc findings on a scan do not tell the whole story.

Neck pain

Why posture matters less than you have been told, and when pain into the arm means nerve involvement.

Sciatica

Nerve pain running into the leg — a distinct problem from back pain alone.

Tendinopathy

Tendon pain usually is not inflammation, and rest usually is not the answer.

Frozen shoulder

Three predictable stages over one to three years, and what helps at each of them.

After surgery

Weight-bearing status

What NWB, TTWB, PWB and WBAT mean on a discharge sheet, and how much weight each allows.

Hip replacement recovery

The first weeks, movement precautions, and realistic timelines.

Knee replacement recovery

The first weeks, when movement returns, and realistic timelines.

Recovery after shoulder surgery

Sling time, the stages of rehab, and why your surgeon’s protocol comes first.

Recovery after back surgery

The stages, what physical therapy does, and why your surgeon’s plan leads.

When to get it looked at sooner

Most of what is on this page is common and manageable. These are the situations worth raising with your pediatrician or a physical therapist rather than waiting.

• A baby whose head tilt does not improve, or who cannot turn the head fully to both sides. More
• A flat spot developing on one side of a baby’s head. More
• Toe walking that starts after a child has been walking flat, or affects only one side. More
• Toe walking with tight heel cords, stiffness, or loss of a skill the child previously had. More
• A spinal curve that is visibly worsening, or a rib hump when a child bends forward. More

Related topics

Related areas, and where the same difficulty is described from another angle.

Neurological

Where tone, coordination and movement are described neurologically.

Learn more →

Hypotonia

Low tone shapes posture, and is a sign rather than a diagnosis.

Learn more →

Postural difficulties

Holding the body steady against gravity — control rather than strength.

Learn more →

Find a therapist

Physical and occupational therapists near you.

Learn more →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is torticollis in a baby?

A tightening of one of the muscles at the side of the neck, holding the head tilted toward one side and turned toward the other. It is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions in infants and responds well to physical therapy. Read the full page

Will torticollis go away on its own?

Some mild cases improve as a baby becomes more active, but treatment produces better and faster results, particularly for head shape. Starting earlier is consistently associated with a shorter course. Read the full page

Is toe walking normal in toddlers?

It is common in children who have recently started walking, and most stop on their own. It becomes worth assessing when it persists past about age two, when a child cannot get their heels flat, or when it appears alongside other developmental differences. Read the full page

When should I be concerned about toe walking?

When it starts after a period of walking normally, when your child cannot bring their heels to the floor, when they are falling more or losing skills they had, when their calves look unusually large, or when they push up their legs with their hands to stand. Any of those is a reason to be seen promptly. Read the full page

Is W-sitting bad for my child?

For most children, no. A systematic review found no scientific evidence advising against W-sitting and no association with hip dysplasia. It is a normal, comfortable position for many young children. Read the full page

Do backpacks or bad posture cause scoliosis?

No. Carrying a heavy bag, sitting badly, or sleeping in a particular position do not cause scoliosis. The great majority of cases are idiopathic, meaning no cause is identified. Read the full page

Sources for the claims on this page

Each condition page carries its own sources. These two support statements made here, on this page.

1. Nordon DG, Passone CGB, da Silva CAA, Grangeiro PM. W-sitting in childhood: a systematic review. Acta Ortopédica Brasileira. 2024;32(6):e279277. doi:10.1590/1413-785220243206e279277 — PubMed 39802577 (PMID 39802577). Indexed at Europe PMC; this DOI is not registered at Crossref, which is usual for SciELO journals.
2. Sargent B, Coulter C, Cannoy J, Kaplan SL. Physical therapy management of congenital muscular torticollis: a 2024 evidence-based clinical practice guideline. Pediatric Physical Therapy. 2024. doi:10.1097/PEP.0000000000001114. DOI verified at Crossref.

Adult orthopedic conditions — back, neck, shoulder, hip and knee problems and recovery after surgery — have their own section: adult orthopedic therapy.