Physical Therapists

If an illness or injury has sidelined you, Riverside sports medicine physical therapists can help you get back in the game – safely and quickly. They assist with recovery from injuries, surgeries or illnesses that affect physical abilities. Developing a personalized treatment plan helps each person achieve their unique goals.

Together, we’ll work to help you restore function and reduce your risk of re-injury in the future.

Part of your collaborative care team

Our physical therapists (PTs) are an important part of our Riverside sports medicine care teams. They play a crucial role in care, working closely together with our sports medicine physicians and athletic trainers to make sure you receive comprehensive and effective treatment. Our PTs work with athletes of all ages – from middle and high school to college and beyond. Whether you are recovering from a sports injury or working to regain strength and mobility, our sports medicine teams engage in ongoing communication and collaboration to ensure you receive the highest level of care.

Conditions our physical therapist help manage

Our Riverside Health physical therapists manage a wide range of conditions, from acute injuries to chronic conditions. We’re equipped with the knowledge and expertise to help patients manage their pain, improve mobility and increase strength and enhance overall quality of life. We provide therapy for post-surgical care and for the following conditions:

Bursitis. This painful condition causes inflammation – or swelling – of the bursae, the fluid-filled sacs that cushion bones, tendons and muscles.
Sprain. This is a twist or wrench of the ligaments – such as in the wrist or ankle – that causes pain and swelling. A sprain will cause pain at or around the affected joint.
Strain. This is the stretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon (tissue that connects muscles to bone). A strain will cause stiffness and pain in the affected muscle or tendon.
Tendinitis. This is inflammation of a tendon – typically due to overuse. Certain infections or rheumatic disease can also cause tendinitis.

Additionally, athletes who are experiencing any of the following symptoms may benefit from working with a PT:

Decreased movement
Pain during movement
Swelling
Trouble walking or running

Services our physical therapists provide

As a key part of our sports medicine care team, Riverside sports medicine PTs provide a full range of services , including:

Exercise prescription. Our PT will carefully assess your medical history, perform a physical examination and ask you questions about your goals and interests. They will then create a suggested exercise plan to help you regain function and safely participate in activities that interest you.

Injury-avoidance planning. A PT can help you maintain a healthier body by teaching you to properly balance, move and strengthen your body to avoid injury.

Plans to enhance workout routines. If you have specific exercise goals, a PT can help you make modifications to your workout routine to help you achieve your goals. Working with a PT can help you reduce your risk of overuse and injury.

Post-injury rehabilitation and management. This focuses on reducing your chance for re-injury and allowing your body to fully heal. Your PT can help you safely resume exercise and get active again after being injured.

Return-to-sport (RTS) testing. RTS testing helps you safely return to participating in your sport or athletic activity following injury or illness. During RTS testing, your PT measures your progress in healing, helps you determine the effectiveness of your rehabilitation program and guides you in safely returning to sport while reducing your risk of re-injury.

Therapy techniques. Depending on your exact needs, your PT may use a combination of therapy techniques, including trigger point dry needling, stability and balance training, strength, endurance and injury prevention.

Specialized training at the highest level

We are proud to have dedicated PTs on staff specializing in sports medicine. In addition, many of our clinicians are board-certified and residency-trained in sports physical therapy. Their extensive experience and specialized training allow us to deliver the highest level of care possible.

Physical therapy specializations for athletes

Our PTs’ specializations include:

Facilitating post-op rehab
Functional testing for return-to-sport decision-making
Performing manual therapy treatments

Get started

If you’d like to learn more about sports medicine physical therapists and their role in sports medicine at Riverside, give us a call at 757-534-6767.