Island Kids Physio
202-3550 Saanich Road V8X 1X2 Victoria, BC, Canada

Physio Rachelle ( @physio.rachelle ) is taking over our Stories today! Check it out as she takes you through her busy clinic Saturday! #takeover #dayinthelife #pediatricphysio #kidsphysio #wemakephysiofun #pedipt

ORANGE SHIRT DAY Every Child Matters, today and every day. We are committed to the process of reconciliation, and wearing our orange shirts today to remember and honour the children and families affected by Residential Schools. ... #orangeshirtday #reconciliation #learning #listening #everychildmatters

MOTOR MILESTONE: SITTING Babies develop the ability to sit independently around 5-8 months. They are able to sit with support around 2 months, and by 4-6 months can briefly support themselves in sitting by propping on their arms. The ability to sit requires and develops core strength and stability, and allows baby to learn how to control his/her body in an upright position.... Once babies learn to sit independently, they will learn to turn their heads, then their bodies, while maintaining sitting balance. They will also progress to reaching outside of their base of support without falling over. Babies will learn to transition from sitting to their tummies and back again, and will do the same to get in and out of a crawling position. These transitions are extremely important developmental skills, so make sure you aren’t always putting a baby in sitting and taking them out - give them the chance to learn how to move in and out of the position! Tummy time, rolling, and floor play are very important to develop the muscles needed for sitting. Don’t forget these, even once baby can sit independently. Check our our Stories to see Physio Sam sharing some tips on working with a new independent sitter (spoiler: it’s her own baby Xander ). #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #physioforkids #motormilestones #sitting #independentsitting #infantdevelopment #motordevelopment #babydevelopment #yyj #yyjmom #yyjkids See more

You know we make Physio fun when clients want to play Physio at home! Client E has been coming in regularly for the last few months, and decided to take what she learned to play Physio with her little sister! Mum sent us a picture of their obstacle course, and E making sure sister works on her posterior chain and adductor muscles by placing a ball between her knees (Physio Megan has been working on this with E in sessions!) This picture definitely warmed our hearts a...nd showed us that we are making Physio pretty fun around here! Great work E - we are so proud of you! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #physioforkids #playingphysio #yyj #yyjmom #yyjkids See more

Physio Tori is taking over Insta today to give you a bit of a Day In The Life as a Kids Physio physiotherapist and awesome person As our newest physio, Tori has been such an incredible addition to our team, starting her job in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and all of the challenges that has brought. We are so proud of her and so happy to have her on our team - her clients are so lucky to have her caring for them! #instagramtakeover #makingphysiofun #dayinthelife #staffspotlight #pedipt #kidsphysio

BACKPACKS Physio Rachelle is talking about backpacks today in our Stories! Client O brought in her school bags and her spunk for a fun series about the Do’s and Don’ts of backpack wearing! DO:... Wear BOTH straps Distribute weight evenly Tighten straps so the bag sits up high on the hips DON’T: Load backpack greater than ~15% of a child’s body weight Choose a backpack that is too large - this will make it too easy to overload, and will result in the bag hanging down too low Head to Stories for more info! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #physioforkids #backtoschool #backpacksafety #posture #yyj #yyjmom #yyjkids See more

KINDERGARTEN READINESS EDUCATION Attention parents of little ones! It is never too early or late to talk about development! Whether your child is going to kindergarten this year or still a few years away, there are important motor skills that prepare children for success in school! Shirley - a wonderful Kids Physio therapist and busy mom of 3 - is hosting a talk on kindergarten readiness! This two-part webinar, happening Monday September 14 & Monday Sept...ember 21 at 8pm (PT), will go in-depth about motor skills and development for kids aged 4-6 . Check out the Eventbrite page for details and to sign up for this FREE event! LINK IN BIO! We look forward to seeing everyone there! If you have any questions please #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #motordevelopment #kindergartenready #backtoschool #motorskills #education #freewebinar #yyjkids #yyjmoms See more

ORTHOTIST VISIT Physio Rachelle and Physio Tori has the privilege of visiting our friend James Tarrant at Ability Orthotics this week! James is a Certified Orthotist with incredible experience and knowledge, and loves helping kids reach their full physical potential as much as we do! We love working with and learning from him, and he is truly an expert in his field.... Whether it’s an AFO for a child with cerebral palsy, a helmet for a baby with plagiocephaly (flat head), or custom wedges for a toe walker, working with a knowledgeable orthotist helps us provide the most comprehensive care for all our clients! At Kids Physio, we are always working with a child’s wider team (surgeons, OTs, SLPs, orthotists, behavioural interventionists, and more!) to help our clients reach ALL of their goals and truly maximize their physical potential. We love our health care teammates! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #interdisciplinarycare #weloveorthotists #learningfromourcolleagues #afo #headshape #toewalking #yyjkids #yyjmoms See more

FRIDAY FUN Our hilarious client K just couldn’t help himself when Physio Tori attempted to video him walking #wemakephysiofun #kidsphysio #pedipt #kidsarethebest #borntomove #yyjmom #yyjkids #fridayfun

SPASTICITY Following up on our post about tone, now let’s talk about spasticity! Spasticity is a velocity-dependent increase in muscle tone, meaning that the faster a muscle is moved or stretched, the greater the resistance to that movement/stretch.... We see spasticity in neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy or brain injury. In physiotherapy, we address spasticity through bracing/splinting (like those awesome AFOs some of our kids get to wear!), positioning (like wheelchair and other seating solutions), stretching , and strengthening ! (Yes, we absolutely need to strengthen in the presence of spasticity - just in the right way!) Check out our Stories for a few exercises we may use for kids with spasticity in their calf muscles, adductors (inner thigh muscles) or hand muscles. #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #kidsphysio #spasticity #cerebralpalsy #braininjury #yyjkids #yyjmoms #yyjfamily See more

POSTURAL REFLEX: HEAD RIGHTING Postural reflexes are automatic movements that involve more mature movement patterns than primitive reflexes. These reflexes replace primitive reflexes as the nervous system matures and higher brain centres take control. Head righting appears in babies as early as 2 months old. When a baby is tipped to one side, muscles on the opposite side of the neck contract and the head tilts in the opposite direction, in order to keep baby’s eyes l...evel with the horizon. Head righting is involved in the development of mature rolling. As physios, we use head righting to help treat torticollis. This reflex helps us encourage strengthening on the weakened side of the neck. Tip: do this in a mirror! Babies love to look at themselves! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #kidsphysio #posturalreflexes #headrighting #infantdevelopment #motordevelopment #yyjkids #yyjmoms #yyjfamily See more

FRIDAY FUN These two sisters are working hard to rehab separate injuries, together! (Though sometimes we wonder how friendly this sister vs sister competition is! ).... #wemakephysiofun #friendlycompetition #sisters #balance #squigz #kidsphysio #pedipt #teenathlete #anklerehab #fracturerecovery #physiowithfriends

TONE We talk a lot about muscle tone around here - so what is it?! Muscle tone is a skeletal muscle’s inherent resistance to passive movement, or, more simply, the amount of tension in a muscle at rest.... We need a certain amount of tone in our muscles to hold us up against gravity, but too much or too little tone can lead to challenges with movement and position. HYPERtonia is higher than normal tone, which can make it challenging to move a muscle through its full range. Hypertonia appears in a variety of diagnoses, including cerebral palsy and other brain and spinal cord injury. HYPOtonia is lower than normal tone. It takes more active muscular control to stabilize these muscles, and individuals with hypotonia often present with low core stability. We use strengthening and stretching activities to develop muscle control and stability. Check out our Stories for a few exercise ideas! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #kidsphysio #motormilestones #motordevelopment #hypertonia #hypotonia #centralstability #yyjkids #yyjmoms #yyjfamily See more

MOTOR MILESTONE: ROLLING We love having baby Xander around to show us motor milestone development in real time ! Rolling is a skill babies develop between 3 and 6 months of age.... Rolling is important for: Strengthening the neck, back, and core muscles, which are essential for the development of postural control Developing bilateral coordination - the use of both sides of the body together - which is important for crawling, walking, and more! While it is more common to see babies roll from tummy to back first, this isn’t always the case. Also, babies will often prefer to roll in one direction (to the right or left) for a while before learning the other side. Some tips to encourage rolling: Help baby play in side lying Place favourite toys to the side to encourage baby to look for them - rolling begins with turning the head and the body then follows! Make sure baby gets lots of floor time to explore their body and how it moves! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #kidsphysio #motormilestones #motordevelopment #infantdevelopment #babyphysio #yyjkids #yyjmoms #yyjfamily See more

We are so thrilled to be able to re-open online booking! We know that our online booking site is such a convenient way to make your appointments (we you @janerunsclinics ) and are so glad we can offer this again. Head to our booking site through the link in our bio to book your appointments today! When booking online, please be aware that we MAY have to shift your appointment time to accommodate our COVID-19 restrictions and precautions. We will give you a call if ...this is the case, so book away and leave the rest to us! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #kidsphysio #onlinebooking #jane #yyjkids #yyjmoms #yyjfamily See more

WEEKEND WORKOUT Physio Tori has another weekend workout for you guys! 3 Rounds... 30s on/30s off Butt Kicks Mountain Climbers Lunges Plank Up-Downs Squats Get outside and give this quick burner a try this weekend! #weekendworkout #kidsfitness #teenathlete #wemakeworkingoutfun #pedipt #yyjkids #yyjmom #yyjfamily

PRIMITIVE REFLEX: PALMAR GRASP The palmar grasp reflex is seen in utero, as early as 16-25 weeks gestation. When a baby’s palm is touched or stroked, the baby’s fingers close around the object (often a finger) and remain closed (clinging or gripping). This reflex is thought to contribute to development of the basic motor pattern that eventually leads to the voluntary ability to grasp an object.... This reflex integrates around 5-6 months of age. Retention of a strong grasp reflex is seen in children with spastic cerebral palsy. It can also reappear in adults with neurological injury. There is also a PLANTAR grasp reflex, in which stroking the bottom of a baby’s foot leads to tight curling of the TOES. Check out our Stories for more! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #primitivereflexes #grasp #motordevelopment #reflexintegration #infantreflexes #infantdevelopment #yyjmom See more

CANADA DAY His mum may be from England and his dad from New Zealand, but Baby Xander is loving being Canadian this Canada Day! We @islandkidsphysio acknowledge that we work, gather, and raise our children on the unceded traditional territories of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and WSANEC Nations. We are committed to listening, learning, and humbly taking steps toward reconciliation.

HYPERMOBILITY We see lots of kids and teens who have some level of hypermobility, whether it be in only one or two joints, or be more widespread. Hypermobility occurs often as simply a greater than normal movement at a joint, and can cause no issues at all! Sometimes, however, we see young athletes who have increased movement at a joint that is causing pain or injury. When this happens, our Physio goals are to:... STABILIZE STRENGTHEN PREVENT FURTHER INJURY A physiotherapist can assess where there is increased mobility, determine which muscle groups are weak or lacking appropriate activation, and design a program specific to that individual’s needs! This way, kids can continue to participate in activities they love while remaining safe, strong, and physically fit! Check out our Stories for a few favourite stability exercises for the shoulder, ankle, and, because it is the foundation for all stability, the core! It is important to note that hypermobility can be a more widespread issue and can actually be a sign of another underlying condition, such as Ehlers Danlos, Marfan’s, or Joint Hypermobility Syndrome. While these conditions are more serious and require additional intervention, a physiotherapist-directed program of stabilization, strengthening, and injury prevention is essential to allowing these kids and teens to reach their maximum physical potential! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #physioforkids #hypermobility #stability #strength #injuryprevention #yyjkids #yyjmom #yyjfamily #teenathlete #youthsport See more

PRIMITIVE REFLEX: ATNR Primitive reflexes are automatic movements seen in infants in response to a specific stimulus or position. The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) is first seen in babies between 0-2 months. When a baby’s head turns to one side, the arm and leg on that side extend, while the arm and leg on the other side flex. ... This reflex is important for: Early hand-eye coordination Providing vestibular input Influencing muscle tone The reflex usually integrates (goes away) between 4-6 months. Reflex integration occurs as babies mature neurologically, gaining the ability to voluntarily control their movements. Check out our Stories and follow along over the next several weeks as we discuss more of these important Primitive Reflexes! #wemakephysiofun #pedipt #primitivereflexes #atnr #motordevelopment #reflexintegration #infantreflexes #infantdevelopment #yyjmom #yyjkids

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