02/14/2026
Black History Month | Pediatric Physical Therapy
This Black History Month, we’re honoring Black pioneers whose work helped shape physical therapy and improve rehabilitation care for children and families.💪🏿💪🏾💪🏽
📖 Bessie Blount Griffin was one of the first Black physical therapists and a groundbreaking inventor. While working with injured soldiers and amputees during World War II, she created assistive devices that helped patients regain independence. Her innovations laid the foundation for adaptive tools still used in physical therapy today, including pediatric care.
📖 Dr. Lynda Woodruff was a trailblazer in physical therapy education and clinical practice. She became the first African American faculty member in the physical therapy department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later founded physical therapy programs at multiple universities. Her leadership helped educate generations of therapists who now serve children and families across the country.
📖 Thelma Brown Pendleton was an early leader in physical therapy whose work helped advance professional standards and representation within the field. Her contributions paved the way for future therapists and strengthened access to quality care for patients of all ages, including children in early intervention settings.
At Miracle Kids, we honor their legacy by supporting children as they build strength, confidence, and independence through compassionate, inclusive pediatric physical therapy. 💗
