#MilestoneMonday / Crawling

crawl postCrawling is a milestone that babies typically learn between the ages of 7 and 9 months. As with any milestone, there is variability around when infants master this skill. Nonetheless, crawling is a tremendously important gross motor skill to learn because it gives your child a means of transportation to continue their interaction with their environment. This is also a very significant strengthening opportunity because the child will be bearing significant weight on their hands. Thus, this is facilitating hand strength, which builds the foundation for in-hand and fine motor skills.

 

Included in this weeks entry of #MilestoneMonday is an article that highlights the importance of crawling. You can be redirected here: http://www.babble.com/baby/crawling-is-crucial/

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If you have any concerns or questions contact us to book your free 15 minute meet & greet today!

Yoga and Pilates

We are so excited to announce that starting January we will be offering Yoga and Pilates here at the clinic!

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Stay tuned for the benefits of Yoga and Pilates! For more information call us at 289-274-5399!

Text Neck

textneckpostwithwatermarkMobile devices are great. They allow us to stay connected to friends and family and provide us with access to the Internet at any given time (assuming we have connectivity and battery life). As the technology advances and becomes more accessible, mobile devices are becoming the preferred means of choice for Internet access.

And thus brings us to our topic of discussion: neck pain related to various screen usage, or “text neck”. Previously, people would develop neck pain from working at a computer screen at home, for school, or for work. Hence the development of ergonomic chairs and optimizing work station to minimize the risk of developing neck pain. Yet, the population affected by prolonged screen usage is beginning to expand. Perhaps more alarmingly, “text neck” appears to be affecting even younger populations. One client that I have worked with specifically complained about neck pain during reading and using their tablet. Their goal was to be able to use their tablet without pain. This client was also 5 years old.

The main issue with “text neck” that perhaps makes it trickier to manage when compared to “desk neck” is that mobile devices are intended to be hand-held and are almost exclusively used below eye-level. Thus, the natural tendency is to look down not only with the eyes, but with the head and neck. This takes our neck posture out of optimal alignment, and the further that we bend, the more strain that this puts on the neck. Compound this with the amount of time and how frequently we use our mobile devices, it is easy to understand how pain can develop.

Getting rid of mobile devices would be unreasonable, so how do we limit and prevent “text neck”?

  • Take frequent breaks: we are intended to move and be active, so take a break, interrupt your head and neck posture and move around.
  • Exercises: move your neck in the opposite direction that your phone takes you to strengthen the muscles that are being put on strain.
  • Range of motion: move your neck in all directions that is pain-free, or where you feel only a mild stretch.
  • Raise your phone: may look awkward, but bringing your phone closer to eye level will extend your head and neck into a more optimal alignment.

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Thanks for reading; we hope that we can help out if you are having any pain. If your symptoms do not seem to resolve with these quick tips, then we are always available for a free meet & greet. Contact us today!

By: Chris Dahiroc P.T.

#MilestoneMonday / Sitting

Sitting up is a crucial component for an infant’s development; this is because this gives the child a completely new perspective of their environment. Also, and perhaps more importantly, sitting allows your infant to use their hands for purposeful play and interaction (i.e. with toys, parents, etc.). As a milestone, independent sitting is expected at around the 6 month mark. But, as with all milestones, this age is an average age, and variability is to be expected.

Before one can sit independently, they must have the necessary neck and trunk control to be able to control their posture in a vertical position. This is where those sessions of ‘tummy time’ yield their results to build the neck strength that allows a child to control their head against gravity. Sitting must also be practiced safely and with support. Support can be provided by a parent or with a pillow; to start, provide this support near the chest level to allow the child to remain upright and play with their hands. As their posture control improves, allow the level of support to fall lower on their trunk, until your support is at their pelvis. When the child is able to sustain this position confidently (with your hand on their pelvis), begin encouraging weight shifting on their pelvis by placing toys within their reach to the side, behind and in front as they are sitting. As they are reaching out to a side, guide them to weight bear onto the arm that is on the same side of the object, promote them to reach with the opposite hand and allow the opposite buttocks to lift by relaxing the support on their pelvis on that side; then return to a sitting position. This task will allow the child to begin to understand how their pelvis interacts with the ground. As they continue to refine these skills and become stronger, try removing support but remain close-by in case of any falls. Or, better yet, perform these practice sits on a soft surface to allow for safe falling.

After sitting is mastered, you can expect more play in this position, transitions into and out of sitting, and continued progression for verticality, namely weight bearing on their feet with support.

For any concerns with your childs development, call us to book your free 15 minute meet & greet today!

By: Chris Dahiroc P.T