Scoliosis
Rehabilitation:
Klapp Exercise Program:
Klapp Exercises are another exercise program. It was a nonsurgical method established with the aim of correcting the spinal curvature by stretching and strengthening the back muscles.
History:
This concept was created by orthopedist Bernhard Klapp and soon after if was developed by his son Rudolf Klapp Klapp’s method also known as Kriechmethode ( crawling method) was developed in Germany in the beginning of the 20 century as a method for treating idiopathic scoliosis.
KLAPP’S CRAWLING:
It is a unique method, which uses crawling on all fours to correct body posture by reducing pressure on the spine and optimizing use of back extensors. The principle is in spreading your weight on the four supporting points while crawling which causes a rotation in the spine and simultaneous stretch - thus functionally strengthening of the “muscle corset”.
Indications:
Scoliosis
Wrong body posture
Strengthening the muscle “corset”
Trunkal muscle imbalance
Exercises:
Exercises are defined in such a way so as to start from the default positions of the spine from the ground up to the straight erect spine working on each affecting the centre of mass of each segment of spine to realign them.
Some of the exercises are:
Walking on knees:
Walking on knees with lengthened trunk.
Kyphotic walking on the knees with swimming motion in the arms.
Kyphotic walking on the knees with circling movement in the arms.
Crawling on all fours:
Crawling on one side at a time.
crawling alternate sides at a time.
Pushing.
Creeping
With Klapp’s method it is possible to execute and integrate more challenging and complex exercises slowly and gradually progress towards correct posture and realignment of the spine and improve muscle balance in the trunk.