Physical Therapy

Skills on the Hill offers physical therapy services at both our Arlington, VA and Washington, DC locations. Physical Therapists work with children to address developmental differences that impact participation at school, home, and in the community.

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Areas Addressed in Therapy:

• Gross Motor Skills are the abilities required in order to control the large muscles of the body for walking, running, sitting, crawling, and other activities.  A baby begins to learn these skills as he/she transitions from tummy time to sitting to crawling to standing and to eventually walking.  Children use gross motor skills when on a playground, climbing jungle gyms, during recess at school, and when playing sports

• Muscular Tone is different from strength and is a muscle’s readiness to activate in a resting state. Muscle tone can impact endurance over time. Although it cannot be changed, one can compensate for a lower tone by increasing overall strength.

• Muscular Endurance involves the ability to sustain repeated contractions against a resistance for an extended period of time. It is impacted by overall strength and muscle tone and can influence a child’s stamina for activity over time.

• Postural Control involves one’s ability to sustain posture or a stable trunk while moving and when stationary. This leads to the ability to automatically balance and be aware of body position in relation to gravity. Postural control is extremely important for the development of both fine and gross motor skills as it allows for the body to have a stable base of support.