"It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." -Vince Lombardi, late American football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL)

Our Fort Myers pediatric physical therapists know how important sports are to children's development, physical fitness and mental health. That's why we are committed to providing they highest quality care for children who have suffered sports injuries. We understand that while they may get knocked down, it's essential not just to their recovery but their overall well-being that they get back up - and the sooner, the better.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 2.6 million children are treated in hospital emergency departments annually for sports and recreation-related injuries. Recently, one of those was 14-year-old Jett, a local baseball and basketball player in Fort Myers. He suffered a knee injury during one of his practices that sidelined him completely. Emergency department doctors referred him to physical therapy. But his mother, who just happens to be FOCUS Therapy's owner and founder, wasn't going to take him to just any Fort Myers pediatric physical therapists.

"I knew that a physical therapist who mostly sees adults wouldn't necessarily be attuned to the unique needs of a developing athlete," said Jennifer Voltz-Ronco. "But our physical therapists at FOCUS would."

As a speech-language pathologist, Voltz-Ronco knows a thing or two about providing therapy to kids. So when the need arose for physical therapy for her own son, she trusted the team she put in place.

Pediatric Physical Therapist Julie O'Conner virtually oversaw Jett's evaluation and first session with Physical Therapist Assistant Tabitha Baxter. Voltz-Ronco said the experience - as a patient parent rather than provider - was invaluable. She noted that it was great to see how a physical therapist could work well virtually with an assistant (and noted that not every session with physical therapist assistants must be monitored). She watched how, as a caring, professional team, they worked so well together to provide Jett with the best care.

"We treat all of our patients like family, but experiencing this not just as the owner, but also as a parent was so insightful," she said. "It made me even more confident that I hired the most knowledgeable, loving, super-amazing people."

Dr. O'Conner, who has five years of experience treating children, explained that the goal with treating pediatric sports injuries is not to get an athlete simply to the strength and endurance of their typical peers. She wants them to be at their peak level of performance.

"I want him to get to the point again that he can pivot quickly, change direction and bear as much weight as he did before the training," O'Conner said. "So that this doesn't happen again, and he can get back to playing the sports he loves."

FOCUS offers pediatric physical therapy in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.

Additional Resources:

Sports Safety, Key Prevention Tips, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

More Blog Entries:

Fort Myers Physical Therapy Tips & Tricks to Prevent & Reduce Toe-Walking, June 8, 2020, Fort Myers Pediatric Physical Therapists Blog