Sports Injuries

Soft tissue and joint mobilization uses hands-on techniques provided by a physical therapist to help relieve pain, restore motion, and increase function. This hands-on technique can be especially helpful following injuries in which muscle spasms or tightening has occurred.

Pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation uses therapeutic exercise, modalities, and other components of physical therapy to increase strength, endurance, motion, balance, and coordination for functional independence. Doctors may prescribe physical therapy prior to surgery to ensure that muscles and joints are prepared for the best recovery. Following surgery, rehabilitation can help facilitate a safe and smooth recovery.

Gait training focuses on strength, endurance, motion, balance, and coordination for safe walking and the prevention of falls. Gait training is necessary following injuries to the hips, knees, and feet. As you progress in physical therapy, exercises geared towards your particular sport will be implemented.

Core stability training targets the muscles of the pelvis, spine, and shoulders to help provide a solid infrastructure for body movements and balance. Core stability training is an important part of sports medicine because of the complex movements that players execute.

For the injured athlete, sports medicine can help the recovery process. For the non-injured athlete, sports medicine may help optimize strength, agility, and performance, as well as help prevent injury. The goals of sports injury rehabilitation are to facilitate an optimal recovery to return an athlete back to safe play.

Exercise therapy helps the body function at a higher level of efficiency and can help reduce pain. Exercise therapy can help improve flexibility, strength, endurance, coordination, balance, and posture. As you progress in your individualized exercise regime, your physical therapist will upgrade your exercises to focus on movements that are essential to your sport.

Infrared, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and hot or cold treatments are modalities that can help relax muscles, stimulate muscles, increase range of motion, and reduce pain. Your physical therapist may combine modalities with other aspects of your sports rehabilitation program for an enhanced effect.

Massage therapy is used to help stimulate and improve circulation, relieve pain and stiffness, and improve flexibility and range of motion. Therapeutic massage is important for keeping muscles used during sports pain-free and limber.

Braces and splints are used to position a joint while it heals or support a joint during motion. There are a wide variety of braces and splints that are specifically designed for particular sports. Your physical therapist will help identify the most appropriate one for you.

Manual Therapy is defined by the Guide to Physical Therapy practice as "the skilled passive movement to a joint and/or related soft tissues at varying speeds and amplitudes." Our therapists have experience with soft tissue mobilization as well as joint manipulation/mobilization in order to restore range of motion and function and assist in decreasing pain and limitations. Some of our therapists have undergone rigorous training to become Manual Therapy Certified (MTC) in order to enhance their knowledge and clinical skills to better treat patients and return them to their prior level of function.