Increasing Strength Through the Use of Blood Flow Restriction By Matt Flanigan, DPT, Cert BFR AZOPT Goodyear Doctor of Physical Therapy What is Blood Flow Restriction? In a rehabilitation or exercise setting, blood flow restriction (BFR) can be very useful to improve strength and increase muscle mass. Essentially, we use a specialized blood pressure cuff…
Kids Place celebrates Better Hearing and Speech Month. Check out this video from Kacie and Christy, Speech and Feeding Therapists at Kids Place West to learn more about how you can improve your child’s feeding habits. For more information, please visit: Feeding Foundations For Success Simple Ways to Help Your Child Try New Foods:…
Identifying Common Injuries in the Weekend Warrior by Ryann Roberts, DPT, Cert DN Owner, Doctor of Physical Therapy Many of us fit the pattern of a weekend warrior – work and family throughout the week restrict our ability to participate in fitness and activities. So instead, we complete vigorous workouts and recreational activities on weekends. The…
Ask The Therapist – What is Visual Motor Integration? by Amanda Mazerall, OTR/L Kids Place Central Pediatric Occupational Therapist Visual Motor Integration, or ‘VMI,’ is a form of coordination that allows us to accurately control our hand movements based off of vision. Poor VMI skills may impact a child’s ability to write their name, catch…
What is Plantar Fasciitis? by Blake McDonald, DPT AZOPT Buckeye Physical Therapist Plantar fasciitis is a dysfunction of the support structure along the bottom of your foot, resulting in abnormal thickening and thinning of various parts of the tissue. This is often due to overuse of the plantar fascia stemming from poor foot mechanics and/or…
How to Keep Your Wandering Child Safe by Jennifer Gile, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Wandering is common in children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Approximately half of children with ASD will wander from a safe environment. While this is more common in children with ASD, it can affect other children as…
Oodles of Fun with Pool Noodles by Bobbi Michels, PT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Did you know you can enjoy your pool noodle year-round using it to get some exercise on land until it is time to enjoy it in the pool? Pool noodles are so much fun to use on land. I…
Cupping and It’s Benefits By Meghann La Marca, DPT AZOPT Buckeye Physical Therapist Cupping, also known as Myofascial Decompression, is a type of alternative therapy that originated in China in 241 AD. However, it became more mainstream following the 2016 Summer Olympics. You may remember seeing circular marks all over Michael Phelps’ back. This gave…
Container Baby Syndrome & Tummy Time by Kids Place Pediatric Physical Therapists The first year of life is critical for your baby to acquire gross motor skills such as gaining head control, ability to roll, crawl, sit, stand, and walk in order to efficiently explore her environment. Primitive reflexes like asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR),…
Spring Break Activities That Challenge Your Children By Brittany Ricciardi PT, DPT, PCS Kids Place Central Clinic Manager and Pediatric Physical Therapist Spring break is just around the corner! Are you nervous? Many parents are often challenged with ideas and activities to keep their children busy. Here are a couple that are not only fun…
