Hand Strength: 5 Fun Activities for Children by Emma Clark, Student OT Childhood is a critical time for the development of intrinsic hand muscles. Without the proper development of these muscles, children will have delayed fine motor skills or fatigue during fine motor activities. Building hand strength in children leads to the development of skills like…
Injury Prevention in Youth Athletics Youth sports are a great way to help keep kids active, learn the value of teamwork, and make new friends. It can be rewarding for both the athlete and family members. However, the increasingly competitive nature of sports these days has them starting at a younger age and training harder…
Keys to Being Active and Staying Active By Ryann Roberts, DPT Owner and Physical Therapist Ahh… retirement – the time to finally enjoy your hobbies! Golf, pickleball, tennis, arts & crafts – retirement has them all. Some are active, some not. Regardless, you need to stay active to continue enjoying your retirement. Activity and proper…
Is My Child Healthy? By Kelsie Noel, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist America has a growing problem of young children becoming overweight and obese. Recent statistics have placed Arizona as having the fourth highest obesity rate in the country. In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were diagnosed as overweight…
Using Manual Therapy and Exercise to Achieve Results By JD Fields, DPT AZOPT Goodyear Physical Therapist As physical therapists, we utilize an individualized mixture of manual therapy and exercise to treat and get you moving better. Throughout the day, I am often asked why I may perform a certain technique or why the patient has…
Feeding Foundations For Success Parents never intend for their children to eat only junk food and chicken nuggets. However, unfortunately there are many children currently who have an extremely limited food repertoire. Eating is a basic skill most people are not concerned with until they have a child who refuses to eat or only eats…
Physical Therapy Treatment of Headaches by JD Fields, DPT AZOPT Goodyear Physical Therapist Most of us have experienced a headache at some point in our lives. We also know a person who suffers from chronic headaches that affect many aspects of their day. This is a very common condition that can be present for numerous…
Save the Spiders Game by Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Want a fun, balance activity for the fall season? Create a spider web on the ground using tape and place plastic spiders around the edge of the web. Have your child pretend they are the parent spider and they must…
Halloween Themed Outdoor Activities for Children By the Kids Place Pediatric Physical Therapists As snow and cold weather sweeps through many parts of the country, this time of year is a perfect reminder to why we live in Arizona. The beautiful weather outdoors plays host to many possibilities of games and activities. In the spirit…
Could Your Child Have Tactile Defensiveness? By Jenn Gile, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Our sense of touch: Our sense of touch is registered through various receptors in our skin making up the tactile system. The tactile system provides us with information about touch sensations: pressure, vibration, movement, temperature and pain. Within this…
