October is National Physical Therapy (PT) Month!

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) theme for this year’s PT Month is “Choose PT” and encourages sharing information about the benefits of physical therapy and the importance of exercise and movement. Physical activity is critically important to one’s health and well-being.

Movement helps decrease pain and stiffness, maintain muscle strength and balance, improve heart and respiratory function, decrease stress, improve cognitive function and improve sleeping patterns. With the unexpected changes due to COVID-19, exercise and movement may be more limited, but there are ways to engage the body in motor activities outside and within small spaces. Get creative with your child by dancing to music or making up your own movement games. Just have FUN!!!

Here are some free online resources to encourage movement and exercise for children:

Inspired Treehouse: https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/gross-motor-digital-interactive-games-kids/

The Wiggle Jar: https://www.homeschoolshare.com/blog/2015/09/the-wiggle-jar/

Yoga for kids: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/free-resources/

Pink Oatmeal: https://www.pinkoatmeal.com/freebie-library/

This month we honor our amazing Pediatric Physical Therapists we work with at VIVA and want to take the opportunity to increase awareness about our physical therapy services. Pediatric physical therapy is a specialty area of practice that addresses developmental and gross motor delays, difficulties with movement, strength, coordination, and balance for children ages 0-21 years. Home health pediatric physical therapists are able to treat patients in their natural environments during typical daily routines, and can help facilitate a caregiver’s involvement in the remediation of skills so that their child can have the best potential to reach milestones and goals.

If you have questions about physical therapy, would like to refer a child for services, or want to join our team of PTs, please contact VIVA at www.vivapeds.com or (469) 341-7772.