Václav Vojta (12 July 1917 – 12 September 2000) was a renowned Czech medical doctor who specialized in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy and developmental disorders. He discovered the principle of reflex locomotion, which is used to treat various physical and neuromuscular disorders through the stimulation of the human sensomotoric system's reflex points. Originally used in the treatment of spastic children, the technique is now used on babies and adults. Biography Early life and education Vojta began his studies in Prague in 1937, but due to the Nazi occupation, he was forced to postpone them, eventually earning his doctoral degree 10 years later, in 1947. He pursued training in pediatric neurology, working in the clinic at Charles University in Prague, and in 1956, he became head of the Department of Pediatric Neurology at the 4th Neurological Clinic of the Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague. Dr. Vojta is most noted for his work in developmental kinesiology and his discovery of reflex locomotion therapy, which became broadly known as the Vojta Method. Exile in Germany In 1968, Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia, disrupting Vojta’s work and posing a threat to his professional future. Vojta, along with his wife and three small children, sought refuge in Germany. There, Vojta began work as a research fellow at the Orthopedic Clinic of the University of Cologne, pursuing his work in developmental kinesiological studies, and organizing courses in diagnostics and physical therapy. In 1975, Dr. Vojta relocated to Munich, taking a position at the Munich Children’s Centre, where he became head of the rehabilitation department. In 1989, after the fall of the communist regime, Vojta returned to his native Czechoslovakia to receive tenure as Professor of Pediatric Neurology and Rehabilitation from Charles University in Prague, an honor denied him as a “politically unreliable person” under the Soviet regime. He was able to teach there once again, and continued to do so until his retirement in 1995. After his retirement, Vojta continued to lecture and teach around the world until his death in 2000. Career The Vojta Method Vojta’s research was focused on reflex locomotion therapy, particularly in the treatment of children exhibiting developmental delays. He discovered the basis of reflex locomotion while searching for treatment therapies for children with cerebral palsy and spastic paralysis. He discovered that muscle groups that the children could not activate themselves can be activated by applying pressure to