Exercising with children - reflexive turning - 1st phase from supine position

Reflexive turning one of the global therapeutic models of the Vojta’s reflexive locomotion for activation of congenital motion programs. Reflexive turning from supine position into position on the side ends with walking on all fours. By a healthy newborn child can this be observed spontaneously, approx. in the 6th month of child’s life. Thanks to Vojta therapy can be this process evoked already in newborn children. Reflexive turning is used in therapy in position on the back and side.

The following exercise is designed for parents, who absolved education of the Vojta method from a professional physiotherapist and they want to repeat it in order to avoid mistakes. We will show you how to activate the movement patterns by activation positions and trigger points.

Goal of the exercise:

Activation of congenital movement programs

Default position

Lay the child on its back
Turn your head by 30 degrees on one side
Keep both arms and legs freely on the mat
Axis of the shoulders and pelvis are in a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the body

Phase 1

For reflexive turning is used activation zone in the center part of the chest, in the mamiral line between the 5th and 6th or 6th and 7th rib.
The pressure is directed cranially (upwards), medially (inwardly) and dorsally (backwards) - towards the opposite shoulder blade
Start the therapy with pressure in the resembling trigger zone, resist the head movement

Phase 2

There’s rotation of the chest and head to the side, legs are flexing, both shoulder blades and spine are creating a support
The first phase of reflexive turning is achieved by turning from back to the side