What is sports-specific physical therapy/physical therapy for athletes, exactly?

Ever wonder what physical therapy might look like for an athlete? Sports-specific and athlete-specific rehabilitation is a specialized form of physical therapy that focuses on the prevention, evaluation, and treatment of sports-related injuries. Treatment is designed to help athletes recover from injuries, improve their performance, and prevent future injuries.

It's super important to know that physical therapy treatment for an athlete is not just about treating injuries. It can also be beneficial for injury prevention, performance enhancement, and overall wellness. So, even if you are not currently injured, it may still be worth considering physical therapy as part of your training and recovery routine.

How do you find a physical therapist as an athlete?

When looking for physical therapy for athletes near you, it is important to consider a few factors. First, you want to find a physical therapist who specializes in working with athletes. They should have experience and knowledge in treating sports-related injuries and understanding the unique needs of athletes.

It's also important to understand that some physical therapists will specialize in specific sports. Game Changer Physical Therapy offers specialized treatment for runners, hockey players, and soccer players.

Second, you want to find a physical therapy clinic that is conveniently located at a location near you. This will make it easier for you to attend your therapy sessions regularly and consistently. If you choose to enroll in virtual treatment, specific coaching can be focused on strength and conditioning plans for your specific goals and sport.

What can physical therapy help me with as an athlete?

We work together to take you from the sideline to the finish line with a customized physical therapy program and a private, one-on-one experience. 

At Game Changer, we provide physical therapy for sports injuries near the Tri-Cities area and help athletes recover from:

• Rotator cuff tears

• Knee injuries

• ACL tears

• Ankle sprains

• Achilles tendonitis

• Tennis or golf elbow (tendonitis)

• Surgery - shoulder, elbow, knee, hip, ankle

• Muscle strains

• Low back pain and sciatica

• Neck pain

• Sports hernia

• Fractures and dislocations

We also help athletes get stronger, faster, and perform better in their specific sport by addressing strength and balance deficits, flexibility concerns, imbalances, improved range of motion, and more.

When is the best time to start physical therapy?

You can get started at any time. Whether you're in the off-season or in-season, we will be able to work on specific performance-related goals.

In the off-season, we'll focus more on large strength gains, and during the season, we'll focus more on optimal recovery from games and practices so that you can arrive to your next event fresh and feeling good.

Injury prevention is always something we are working on in sports-specific physical therapy because every sport is different and the demands that each athlete has on his or her body are different. We will focus on developing a program that will help each individual athlete perform at their best and decrease their risk of injury in sport.

How do I schedule a session?

You can reach out to book a free discovery call at any time and we'll chat about options for getting started with Game Changer. We pride ourselves in being the best choice for physical therapy for athletes near the Tri-Cities area and would love for you to reach out.

At all sessions, you will be treated by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and will have one-on-one treatment, which means a more specialized and tailored approach so you can get faster and long-lasting results.