Taking Athletes Further

I speculate families of athletes spend thousands of dollars a year on elite sport training. Many athletes invest in sports specific training to prevent injury as well as recover from injury.

If you’ve had orthopedic surgery as an athlete, you know limitations insurance companies often place on visits.

For example, full rehab and return to sport for ACL reconstruction ranges from 6-9 months. Insurance companies typically pay for a set number of visits that are used up within two to three months.

So what’s an athlete to do next?

Hire a personal trainer? Work with their coach? While both groups have excellent knowledge we propose a better way. I’ve asked three of Concierge Orthopedics physical therapists their thoughts.

Why are PTs best qualified for elite sports training as opposed to other individuals?

“PTs have an incredibly diversified and extensive knowledge base with a complementary skill set to match. To my current knowledge, there is no other profession that examines the human body as comprehensively as a PT. No matter where a patient is in their functional ability, we meet them there and take them further”.

“Personal trainers and coaches are really awesome at what they do and honestly, I absolutely love collaborating with them in rehabilitation plans. But when it's all said and done, PTs are THE movement experts”.

Gale McCall, PT, DPT, ATC

“Physical therapists have spent countless hours in school, sports labs, and clinics to study the body, human movement, injury, and recovery. We delve into the biomechanics of movement, which is the foundation of building appropriate exercise programs for athletes. While each sport has their own demands, so does the individual”.

“PTs examine the individual’s strengths and limitations of their body movement as it relates to their sport and develop a plan that meets their specific goals. PTs also offer hands-on treatment to assist in muscle recovery, pain reduction, and overall health and well-being. We know what it takes to rehab from an injury, and we know what it takes to prevent one. In doing so, PTs can optimize an elite athlete’s performance, so that they are always game ready”.

June Santiano, PT, DPT

“Physical therapists are movement doctors: they undergo years of extensive education and clinical experience on how humans move and how to optimize movement to improve function in sport. More than any other discipline, physical therapists are experts in optimizing the human movement system to improve sports performance, return to sport after an injury, and reduce the likelihood of future injury”.