Sports Rehabilitation
Kentwood Physical Therapy was designed to be a facility to treat high-performance athletes. We have high ceilings for ball sports, a long straightway for sprints, and different levels of weights, bands, and equipment. More importantly, we have the knowledge and skill necessary for getting to the root cause of injury and resolving the problem. The easy part of physical therapy is returning to the sport after healing; the hard part is getting to the healing in the first place and as fast as possible.
We have therapists with sports interest and background that understand the biomechanical forces involved with different sports, as well as the difficulties of missed time. We do not automatically remove individuals from their activity but, instead, work to keep their bodies functioning well enough to continue running or playing if at all possible.
Many people think of sports physical therapists as people who work to strengthen, train, and do drills similar to the sport the athlete is missing. However, most of the time, if the patient could do those activities, he or she would not be in PT. They are in PT, because they are hurt and are unable to perform. The true value of a sports therapist is one who can find and fix the underlying problem. Examples include but are not limited to the following: a deep muscle strain, specific site of ligament strain, joint derangement (flawed joint mechanics), improper sport technique or running form that is causing the injury over time, incorrect footwear, etc. When these abnormalities are corrected and normal mechanics are restored, return to sports happens quickly.
Furthermore, we work well with coaches and trainers. We communicate with them often to let them know what the athlete should and should not do and when advancements should be made. We give indications of what they are able to do in practice, as well as what activities would be too much at a given time. We have found this communication extremely valuable in avoiding aggravations of injury or re-injury.