Sports Physiotherapy

Sports Physiotherapy is the specialized branch of physiotherapy which deals with injuries and issues related to athletes of all ages. A ‘Sport Physiotherapist’ is a Physiotherapist who has completed the Diploma in Sport Physiotherapy through Sport Physiotherapy Canada. This designation means that the Sport Physiotherapist has completed written and practical exams, in addition to having experience in the care of athletes of all levels, be it the high performance national or provincial level athlete or the everyday active Canadian.

While all orthopedic physiotherapists are experts in managing musculoskeletal injuries, Sports injuries do differ to everyday injuries, and often are quite complex. Athletes normally require high level performance and demands placed upon their body, which stresses their muscles, joints and bones to the limit.  Sports physiotherapists help athletes recover from sporting injuries, return to their sport from injuries, and provide education and resources to prevent further injuries. Each sports physiotherapist usually has sport-specific knowledge that addresses acute, chronic and overuse injuries.

Services provided include:

• Thorough evaluation and diagnosis of injuries, and develop a comprehensive management plan using exercise, modalities , manual therapy, and other evidence based techniques
• Comprehensive exercise plan to return to sport following recovery of the injury, often including coordination with other members of the sports team ( strength  and conditioning, coaches, etc.)
• Determine causative biomechanical factors of overuse injuries and sport specific movement.  ( running, jumping, skating, etc.)
• Footwear analysis and recommendations including orthotics
• Injury prevention strategies and injury prevention screening
• Emergency sideline care
• Taping and Sport Specific Bracing and other protective equipment
• Exercise physiology, strength training, and adaption to training programs when recovering from an injury
• Return to sport protocol management for concussion
• Consultation with strength and conditioning professionals on maximizing training for athletes of various sports.