What Does a Sports Physical Therapist Do?
Sports physical therapy/physical therapy for athletes is a growing specialty within physical therapy practice that helps athletes bridge the gap between their injury and returning to their sport with confidence.
A sports physical therapist specializes in treating athletes and helping them get back to their sport, moving optimally, and performing their best.
Sports physical therapists are rehab professionals and experts in biomechanics, which is especially important if you’re trying to make a timely recovery. They can ensure that your training plan is helping you achieve maximal results while delivering the hands-on treatment that you need to keep moving forward in your recovery.
Physical therapy and sports truly do go hand and hand when it comes to preventing injury, prevention programs, and treating sports injuries when needed through sports-specific evaluation and assessment.
Many physical therapists who specialize in treating athletes have taken additional training to stay up to date on new treatment techniques and recent research. They're invested in your recovery too!
Sports Physical Therapy is The Secret Weapon to Speedy Recovery
It’s important to have a sports physical therapist who understands your training and performance goals so that they can create the best plan for your recovery. One-size-fits-all rehab plans for athletes often fall short of delivering the best results possible.
By the way, most sports physical therapists have also been serious about playing a sport at one point or another. So we just get it.
We know where you’re coming from, understand how badly you want to get back in the game, and will do everything in our power to help you make a full recovery without jeopardizing your future with recurrent injuries.
Honestly, there’s nothing more frustrating than being an athlete and trying to explain to your non-sports PT that you need to be doing a lot more than just some straight leg raises to be able to get back on the field feeling confident. Am I right?
Sports physical therapists, on the other hand, can relate to what you’re going through.
We know that an injury wasn’t in your game plan, you’re frustrated because it happened, and yeah, we know that you can power through the easy stuff. But sometimes, there’s more to it than that. Understanding and relaying the importance of the “easy stuff” for setting up the foundation for more effective strength training is part of the job.
I love helping my athletes understand the importance of the rehab process, the thought behind each phase of rehab, and explaining the relevance of each exercise in relation to their sport.
I believe that this helps build a foundation of trust and allows the athlete to better understand why we would start knee rehab with ultra boring straight leg raises (hint: often times for muscle coordination) when they can power through a 200 lb squat.
Finding a Sports Physical Therapist
There’s so many sports physical therapists out there and it’s important to find the right one for you! What worked for your friend might not be your cup of tea. So do some research and be willing to reach out to several different providers to see who you click with.
If you're local to the Kennewick, WA area, you can work with me in person at my physical therapy clinic, Game Changer Physical Therapy. I’d love to help you get back in the game!
But if you live elsewhere, here’s a couple different ways to find a sports physical therapist in your area:
Ask friends (who are also in your sport) who they recommend and ask about their experience. Some people might love the care they received at their PT clinic and others might just feel “meh” about it. Ask more questions!
Do a Google search
Try typing in “physical therapist for athletes”, “physical therapy for athletes near me”, or “sports physical therapist in (your city, state)”
Read the reviews and experiences of previous clients to see if this clinic suits your needs
Start Your Rehab the Right Way
Decide what’s most important to you because it’s different for everyone. Some people want the best, most efficient care no matter the cost or distance from their house. Some want one-on-one treatment and longer sessions. Some prefer less frequent appointments, while others prefer more frequent appointment spacing. Others are willing to sacrifice one-on-one care and longer treatment times to find a clinic that is in-network.
If you’re an athlete, I would highly recommend finding a physical therapist who specializes in sports physical therapy and treating athletes.
Take a little time before you reach out to clinics and reflect on the aspects of care that are most important to you. That way, you’re clear on what you want and it’ll make it easier to decide whether a specific clinic or therapist is going to be a good fit for you and your recovery.
As a heads up, you might have to go out-of-network for your treatment if you’re looking for a sports physical therapist who:
Gives you undivided attention for the entire treatment time
Spends a full 55-minutes with you
Respects your time (read: less frequent, but longer and more comprehensive treatment sessions)
Allows access to them directly in between treatment sessions for questions
Provides a full spectrum of rehab from initial injury to return to sport (and in-sport treatment)
Makes decisions for your rehab based on what’s actually best for your recovery instead of based on what insurance wants to pay for
But also, if finding an in-network provider is the most important thing to you at this time, then go for it!
I’m wishing you all the best in your recovery! May your rehab be fun, the work be worthwhile, and your return to sport be better than you ever imagined.
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