Injury Prevention for the Performance Athlete (Dancer) by Taylor Kitkowski, DPT AzOPT Glendale Doctor of Physical Therapy In the world of sports, performance athletes, or dancers, are often overlooked. However, dance requires high levels of physical demands in addition to maintaining a lean body type. These factors make young dancers more susceptible to injuries. Dance…
Pediatrics: Hippotherapy vs. Adaptive Riding by Justine Gonzales, OTR/L Kids Place Central Occupational Therapist The terms hippotherapy and adaptive riding (formally known as therapeutic riding) are commonly misused. While both approaches incorporate the benefits of riding a horse, there are various differences among the two. To ensure children are receiving the most appropriate horseback riding…
AzOPT Goodyear now offers Comprehensive Lymphedema Management Ruth Ann Larsen, a licensed physical therapist currently treating at AzOPT Goodyear, is now certified in Lymphdema management. Ruth Ann is accepting new patients immediately. What is Lymphedema? Lymphedema is persistent swelling of a limb that does not go down with elevation of that limb. What causes Lymphedema?…
Crawling Is Important Most infants will begin to crawl on their stomach at eight months of age, and begin to crawl on their hands and knees a month later. Crawling on hands and knees is a very important developmental milestone for many reasons. However, it is common for parents to say their child skipped crawling…
Don’t Get Bent Out of Shape from Scoliosis by Jeffrey Landram PT,DPT AzOPT Buckeye Doctor of Physical Therapy The human spine has natural, healthy curvatures built into it such as the arch in the low back or the slight rounding of the upper back. These curvatures are exclusive to what is called the sagittal plane,…
Midline Crossing Activities by Jessica Tallent, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist The midline is the term used to describe the invisible line at the middle of the body which goes from the head to the feet. When children participate in activities that require them to cross the midline, connections in the brain are…
Ask the Therapist: Heat or Ice? Heat or ice? It’s one of the most common questions we receive. While it is difficult to generalize all pain and injuries, there are a few simple rules that you can follow to help in your recovery. Ice is most appropriate for initial (or acute) stages of an injury.…
Start Reading Early With Your Child Most people are familiar with the notion that reading to your child regularly is beneficial. But when should you start? Reading comprehension and the ability to follow along do not come until age 4 or 5 (depending on the child), but the value of guided reading can be seen…
Why Babies Wear Helmets by Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Ever noticed a baby wearing a helmet and wondered why? The short answer is to help shape their head. Babies are born with ‘soft spots’ or bones in their skull that have not fused together. This is so a baby…
Opt Outside – Take a Hike By Matt Flanagan, DPT AZOPT Goodyear Physical Therapist Exercise is good for us. We all know that, or at least we should, because it is! While there are numerous forms of exercise, there is no right way. There are guidelines, though. The American College of Sports Medicine states adults…
