Athletic Therapy
What is Athletic Therapy?
Athletic Therapy focuses on the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries involving muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and bones. Treatment combines hands-on care, movement assessment, exercise-based rehabilitation, and education to reduce pain, restore function, and improve how you move.
While often associated with sport, Athletic Therapy is for anyone experiencing pain, injury, or movement limitations in daily life, work, or activity.
The Shift Bodywork and Performance Care Athletic Therapy Experience
Our Athletic Therapists use a movement-based, active rehabilitation approach to help you recover from injury, improve movement quality, and enhance performance.
Athletic Therapy helps bridge the gap between injury recovery and a confident return to activity. Whether your goal is returning to sport, training, work, or simply moving through daily life without pain, we create individualized treatment plans designed to restore function and build long-term resilience.
Techniques may include:
Functional movement assessment
Exercise-based rehabilitation
Manual therapy
Soft tissue treatment
Neurokinetic Therapy
Neurofunctional acupuncture
Performance taping
Return-to-activity planning
Concussion management and return-to-play protocols
Injury prevention strategies
Our team collaborates on client care through mentorship and communication to ensure a consistent approach across the clinic. We prioritize identifying movement limitations early and supporting long-term physical resilience.
Benefits of Athletic Therapy
Athletic Therapy helps reduce pain, restore movement, improve strength and function, and support long-term recovery. It can be effective for both injury rehabilitation and injury prevention, helping you move better and stay active in the activities that matter most to you.
Who is Athletic Therapy for?
Athletic Therapy is for anyone experiencing pain, injury, or movement restrictions, including:
Active adults and recreational exercisers
Competitive athletes and weekend warriors
Office and desk workers
Trades and physically demanding jobs
Students and youth athletes
Older adults focused on mobility and independence
You do not need to be an athlete to benefit from Athletic Therapy.
What should I expect during my first Athletic Therapy appointment?
Your first visit includes a comprehensive assessment and individualized treatment plan based on your goals.
Assessment may include:
Injury and health history
Movement assessment
Range of motion testing
Strength testing
Joint mobility assessment
Functional movement testing
Treatment may begin in the first session and is tailored to your needs. Follow-up appointments are typically 30–45 minutes.
Athletic Therapy FAQs:
Is Athletic Therapy covered by insurance?
Yes. Athletic Therapy is covered by many extended health benefit plans, but coverage depends on your individual provider and plan. Direct billing may also be available depending on your coverage.
What is the difference between Athletic Therapy and Physiotherapy?
Both Athletic Therapy and Physiotherapy treat musculoskeletal injuries using hands-on care and exercise-based rehabilitation.
Athletic Therapy is more focused on movement, exercise-based rehabilitation, and return-to-activity planning, particularly for musculoskeletal and sport-related injuries. Physiotherapy has a broader scope of practice that can also include cardiorespiratory, neurological, and other systemic conditions.
At Shift, both are collaborative, and your care will be guided to the practitioner best suited to your goals.
Do I need to be an athlete?
No. Athletic Therapy is for anyone experiencing pain, injury, or movement limitations. Our clients include office workers, athletes, students, parents, retirees, and anyone looking to move and feel better.
Will I have to stop doing my regular activities?
Not necessarily. In most cases, we aim to keep you moving and participating in your regular activities whenever possible, with modifications as needed to support recovery.