Combined impact of myofascial techniques and gymnastics for the rehabilitation of children with neuropathy of the facial nerve

Facial neuropathy (Bell’s palsy) is a disease characterized by damage to the nerve fibers of the VII cranial nerve with the occurrence of unilateral facial muscle weakness or paralysis. Damage to the facial nerve is the most common type of cranial neuropathy. Delayed treatment onset and/or inadequate therapy of the disease leads to the residual neurological deficit, which may significantly reduce the patient’s quality of life. The best result in the rehabilitation of children with facial nerve neuropathy is provided with an integrated approach using myofascial manual therapy techniques and exercises. This is achieved during the therapy sessions with a myofascial manual techniques complex. After preparing the muscles, fascia and skin, the therapist conducts a set of passive and active exercises with a patient to restore the work of his/her facial muscles. The method was created, tested, and implemented in the Federal State Autonomous Institution “National Medical Research Center of Children’s Health” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The essence of the method consists of the process of therapy sessions, providing a gradual recovery of functional relationships between the myofascial structures of the face, and improvement of lymphatic drainage, arterial blood supply, and venous outflow restoration. The alternation of myofascial manual techniques with exercises contributes to the maximum effective restoration of the symmetrical work of the facial muscles. Evaluation of the effectiveness of myofascial manual techniques and corrective exercises was carried out by clinical presentation changes and follow-up data. Comprehensive rehabilitation using myofascial manual techniques and exercises makes it possible to achieve improvement in restoring the function of facial muscles, eliminating asymmetry, and preventing complications. Conclusion. The obtained results demonstrated the effectiveness of myofascial manual techniques and exercises in the rehabilitation of children with facial neuropathy. Based on the results of the study, a positive effect of this method was shown to improve the functions of mimic muscles and facial symmetry in children with Bell’s palsy.

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