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Resources:
Looking for more information on Physical Therapy and Therapists?
American Physical Therapist Association
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association
What Are the Benefits of Physical Therapy?
Reviewed by: My Child Without Limits Advisory Committee September 2009
Understanding how a child's motor performance develops, and how it is related to the child's cognitive development, is the basis of pediatric physical therapy. The benefits of physical therapy may include:
- Increase and maintain muscle strength and endurance
- Restore and increase joint range of motion
- Increase coordination
- Decrease pain
- Decrease muscle spasm and spasticity
- Decrease swelling and inflammation of joints
- Promote healing of soft tissue lesions
- Prevent contracture and deformity of limbs
- Promote mobility through walking or use of wheeled-mobility
- Increase ability in daily activities such as self-care and play
- Educate patients and family
- Decrease stress
Next:
Download the Introduction to Physical Therapy.
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