Do you notice your kids seem to spend more time sitting around looking at their phones and playing video games than playing outside? Has your child complained about aches and pains from sitting in class all day or carrying a heavy backpack around?
Knowing when to encourage your kids to do more and when to hold them back can be challenging because you need to figure out what you should and shouldn’t do to keep them safe and injury-free. At Synergy Therapeutic Group in Carbondale, our pediatric physical therapists work with kids of all physical abilities to ensure they live up to their fullest potential!
It’s natural for a parent to be concerned about falls and other accidents. Children can be clumsy or hurt when they aren’t paying attention to their surroundings. Other times it may seem that their inactivity is more of a problem, and they wonder if they should exercise more.
At Synergy Therapeutic Group in Carbondale, our pediatric physical therapists are highly skilled at helping parents figure out the most effective ways to help their child avoid as many injuries as possible and enjoy playing to ensure they are healthy and strong.
If you have any concerns about an injury or ways to prevent injuries, call our pediatric therapists today and request an appointment!
Proven ways to ensure a healthy child
The good news is that there are several things you can implement to help keep your child healthy and help prevent injuries at the same time!
Proper Sleep: One of the most important steps every parent can take to ensure their child’s health is ensuring adequate sleep. Research has shown that most children and teenagers need between 8-10 hours of sleep every night.
Too often, we assume it is normal for kids to skip sleep, not realizing its harmful effects on their mental and physical health, ability to concentrate, and even prevent injuries. For example, research has shown that sleeping 5-6 hours per night can increase the risk of injury but up to 150%!
Proper Nutrition: Parents can encourage children to eat foods that provide proper nourishment to help them grow and thrive. A common myth is that any processed food can provide the right type of support to health as natural foods.
Busy households often rely on pre-made or highly processed foods for every meal. Research has shown that not only are the long-term health ramifications serious, but these diets also increase the risk of inflammation and interfere with the body’s ability to heal and defend itself from colds and flu.
Regular Exercise: The benefits of regular exercise are extensive and highly valuable for a child’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The importance can not be overstated. The more variety, the better.
Activities like running, jumping, and climbing are foundational for a child’s long-term physical health. The importance of getting the heart rate up from riding a bike, swimming, or playing sports helps ensure cardiovascular health, brain function, mood balance, and educational development.
Too often, parents rely on an organized sports team or school gym class and recess as the primary sources of exercise. At Synergy Therapeutic Group in Carbondale, our pediatric therapists can help parents understand the most effective ways to keep their children safe from injury and thriving in their lives!
What to expect at pediatric physical therapy sessions
A healthy, strong body is essential for avoiding injuries and ensuring your child’s readiness for play and enjoyment. At Synergy Therapeutic Group in Carbondale, our pediatric physical therapists specialize in working with children of all physical abilities. Our programs consider children’s unique needs for proper development and recovery after an injury.
Our team will start with a comprehensive evaluation that includes assessing your child’s balance, coordination, strength, and joint range of motion. Based on the outcome of these assessments, we can identify any weaknesses, developmental delays, or risk factors for injuries.
Our specialists will design specific physical therapy interventions to address any injury or physical limitations to help your child resume regular play and physical activities they enjoy. Our programs will emphasize common practices to assist your child, including:
- Providing proper warm-up and cool-down techniques to ensure their bodies are ready to move and have adequate recovery time to be prepared for more.
- Demonstrating safe play, including using safety equipment and learning to listen to our bodies’ natural clues to identify injuries.
- Discussing the importance of proper sleep and adequate nutrition.
- Educating on the importance of movement and putting down the video games to play outside with their friends.
We routinely work with parents to help reinforce the guidance our Carbondale pediatric physical therapists provide to help your child stay healthy and strong.
Request an appointment today!
If you’re looking for proven ways to ensure your child has fun, can be a kid, and fully participate in the activities they enjoy, Call Synergy Therapeutic Group in Carbondale today to schedule an appointment!
We’re ready to work with you and your child to make physical activity safe and enjoyable!
Sources:
- https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000346.abstract
- https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/FullText/2019/06000/Musculoskeletal_Simulation_Tools_for_Understanding.6.aspx
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200131140-00003
- https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/9/528.abstract
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557657/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK561507/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0363546517734172
- https://pedorthic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Clinical-Practice-Guidelines-Second-Edition-PDF.pdf#page=320
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-60216-1_18
- https://www.physio-pedia.com/Shin-splints?utm_source=physiopedia&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=ongoing_internal
