Return to your sport quickly and safely.
Each year, over 2 million high school athletes and 3.5 million kids under 14 are treated for sports-related injuries, plus countless adult athletes.
At Mountain Land Physical Therapy Partners, we help athletes of all ages regain strength, improve mechanics and safely return to the court, field, trail or pitch. Our return-to-sport program combines rehabilitation with training and testing to assess readiness, correct strength imbalances and prevent future injuries.
Whether you’re a skier, runner, or mountain biker, our experienced physical therapists work with both competitive and recreational athletes to help you get back to the activities you love faster and safer.
Who is our return-to-sport program for?
Our return-to-sport program was initially designed to evaluate an athlete after surgery and assess readiness to return-to-sport.
However, our program can also help reduce the risk of injury (e.g., concussion, knee pain, ankle pain, etc.) to support athletes of any age, discipline or experience, even if you don’t currently have pain or injury.
Why do I get hurt?
At Mountain Land Physical Therapy Partners, our therapists take an active approach to identifying all possible risk factors during sports activities. Some factors that may lead to injury include poor mechanics, muscle weakness, tightness and fatigue.
Our expert staff stays up to date on recent studies investigating the causes of sports injuries. We use that information to help you improve your mechanics and strength, reducing your risk of injury.
Benefits of return-to-sport testing and physical therapy
Physical therapy effectively treats current injuries and helps avoid future injuries.
Our physical therapists are experienced and compassionate. They have a deep understanding of rehabilitation treatments, including injury prevention. A physical therapist is an expert in movement and can identify factors contributing to your sports injury that you may not have considered. This may include limitations in your range of motion, motor control impairment or core weakness. When these factors are addressed, your risk of injury significantly decreases.
Treatment plans are individualized for each patient.
Physical therapists understand that no two athletes are the same, so no two treatment plans should be the same. Everyone experiences pain and injury differently, and everyone’s body recovers differently. After a thorough physical evaluation, your physical therapist will create a treatment plan based on your type of injury, stage of recovery, personal goals and any underlying conditions.
Your treatment plan will follow detailed steps leading to your end goal: return-to-sport. For example, in the early stages of your recovery, your treatments will focus on pain relief, inflammation reduction and tissue healing. Once pain is alleviated and swelling is no longer present, you’ll move on to the next part of your treatment plan, focusing on restoring strength, balance, endurance and range of motion, as well as activating your central nervous system.
If you were referred by a doctor or surgeon, your physical therapist will also consider any special instructions you may have regarding physical activity. Your physical therapist will work closely with anyone else involved in the medical treatment and rehabilitation of your sports injury, including post-surgical rehabilitation.
Physical therapy can help you avoid potentially harmful drugs or invasive surgeries.
Your physical therapist will create a treatment plan based on your individual needs. Physical therapy is a natural and holistic approach to healing and may include:
- Therapeutic exercises
- Modalities (e.g., ultrasound or electrical stimulation)
- Manual therapy (e.g., massage or joint mobilizations)
Physical therapy has been proven successful in treating both acute and chronic injuries such as ligament sprains, muscle strains, plantar fasciitis, bursitis, tendinitis and more. Your physical therapist will teach you about what your body is experiencing and the recovery process it will go through. You and your physical therapist will work together to help you achieve your physical goals, keeping you engaged and active in your rehabilitation.
How return-to-sport physical therapy works
The return-to-sport testing begins with a therapist performing video analysis using a high-frame-rate camera to capture your mechanics and motion during six agility tasks. You will also complete four hop tests and leg strength testing using a tensiometer to measure one-repetition maximum.
Once testing is complete, your therapist will review your scores and results, placing you in a low-, mid- or high-risk injury category. Your therapist will prescribe mobility, coordination and strength exercises based on your deficits to improve how you handle the stress and mechanical demands of your sport.
Your therapist may recommend follow-up visits to help you achieve your goals and make necessary adjustments. You will most likely retest after completing a training program to evaluate progress and minimize the risk of future injury.
What makes our return-to-sport program different
Mountain Land Physical Therapy Partners analyzes the quality and quantity of motion with agility and strength testing.
Using video cameras and software, we analyze your motion and provide visual feedback. We show you how small changes to your mechanics can improve performance and reduce discomfort.
Thorough testing identifies areas of weakness, tightness and other asymmetries that result in mechanical dysfunction. We will work with you on specific stretching, strengthening and coordination exercises based on dysfunctions found in testing, so your body can better handle the stresses of your sport.
Retesting after completing a training program assesses whether your mechanics and strength have improved, reducing your risk of injury and helping you feel confident in performing the sport you love.
Schedule your return-to-sport assessment
If you are an athlete suffering from a sports-related injury, don’t spend another day on the sidelines. Take your recovery to the next level with our highly skilled physical therapy team.
Find a Mountain Land Physical Therapy Partners location near you in Utah, Idaho or Montana to get started on the right track toward returning to the sport you love.