Patients often want to return to recreational or competitive sports as soon as possible and we understand this need. Our primary goal is to help patients return to their previous level of activity by the quickest and safest means possible. By knowing the biomechanics required for various sports, the physical therapists can design programs that achieve the amount of strength, flexibility, range of motion, endurance and balance necessary to safely return to sport.

During sport-specific rehabilitation, patients are introduced to an exercise progression that goes beyond standard weight training. To assist patients back to their pre-injury level of activity we closely monitor progress and incorporate a stepwise progression of activities. As strength and full range of motion are achieved, patients are given exercises that incorporate balance and proprioception (training the body’s awareness in space). As patients progress, agility training exercises are implemented to enhance quickness and reaction time.

Plyometric exercises often involve jumping for the lower extremities or throwing for the upper extremities and are used to train explosive movements. The further along a patient is in the exercise progression, the more the exercises will mimic the specific motions of a particular sport. This progression ensures that patients remain challenged, interested, and return to play as strong as possible.