The field of pediatric orthopedics and developmental care involves treatment of growth and development disorders in the skeleton, muscles, and joints of children. Treatment of these issues may involve pediatric physical therapy, the application of orthoses, and in some cases, surgery.
Pediatric physical therapy (PT) can help children with developmental, or physical impairments from infancy to adolescence. A pediatric physical therapist will have special training to meet the needs of children and their families. Pediatric PT can improve a child’s range of motion, balance, endurance, and strength.
Similar to myofascial release, active release techniques (ART) involves a practitioner using his or her hands to apply pressure to the soft tissue in an effort to treat problems with muscles, fascia, nerves, tendons, and ligaments.
The ATM2 is a therapeutic device that places the patient in a static position, allowing pain-free motion at specific joints to normalize movement impairments. The goal of this treatment is to give the patient immediate pain reduction, increased range of motion, and improved function.
Acupuncture is a treatment that can offer pain relief and can also aid in stimulating the body’s systems to offer relief for common ailments from headaches to anxiety.
The treatment of acupuncture is when the acupuncturist inserts a hollow needle into specific areas of the body to release what is believed to be energy blockages. Eliminating the blockages can relax the patient and provide symptomatic relief from his or her ailments.
Aerobic conditioning is exercise performed for at least 20 minutes that raises the heart rate and works the large muscle groups using continuous, and rhythmic movements. Aerobic exercises can be any exercise from walking or running to swimming—as long as you raise your heart rate. Aerobic exercise builds muscle, strengthens bones, increases flexibility, improves lung endurance and strengthens the cardiovascular system.
AlterG® is an anti-gravity treadmill® designed to reduce gravity’s negative impact on the patient’s body during exercise.
Without gravity’s harsh impact, rehabilitating injuries becomes easier. The patient’s pain and stress be greatly reduced. AlterG® can also be a valuable tool when gravity stands in the way of exercise for weight loss.
Typically provided by a licensed physical therapist specialized in treating animals, animal physical therapy adapts proven techniques of human physical therapy and applies them to animals. Physical therapy for animals is used to improve quality of life; it can decrease pain, speed recovery from injury or surgery, and even assist with weight loss.
Animal-Assisted Therapy incorporates animals into a treatment plan in physical, occupational, or speech therapy. The animals assist the therapist in helping patients achieve their therapy goals. While dogs are most commonly used, many domesticated pets, farm animals, and marine mammals (like dolphins) can be used in this kind of therapy.
Anodyne therapy is a type of infrared light therapy that is proven to widen blood vessels, increase circulation and reduce pain experienced with circulation problems. Anodyne therapy can be used to treat sprains/strains, chronic pain, diabetic neuropathy, osteoarthritis, tendonitis and more.