Infants With Congenital Muscular Torticollis Requiring Supplemental Physical Therapy Interventions

Abstract

Purpose: 

To describe supplemental intervention (SI) frequency in infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) and compare groups of infants who received first-choice intervention only to infants who received SI.

Methods: 

Data were retrospectively extracted from a registry. Baseline and treatment variables were collected and analyzed.

Results: 

The cohort included 907 infants with 85 receiving SI. Order of SI frequency was kinesiological tape, manual techniques, tubular orthosis for torticollis (TOT) collar, and the Benik system. Statistically significant differences were found in baseline age, passive cervical range of motion (ROM), muscle function, and treatment time between groups. A positive association was found for CMT presentation, classification grade, plagiocephaly type, and external referrals between groups.

Conclusions: 

Nine percent of infants received SI, most frequently kinesiological tape. Infants who received SI had larger baseline passive ROM and muscle function differences and more visits over a longer duration but had similar CMT resolution. Education is needed when using SI.

In Brief

To describe supplemental intervention frequency in infants with congenital muscular torticollis and compare groups of infants who received first-choice intervention only to infants who received supplemental intervention.