Services

WHAT IS ATHLETIC THERAPY?

Certified Athletic Therapists are experts in injury assessment and active reconditioning. They work with individuals that struggle with acute or chronic pain and injuries related to muscle, bone or joint. The proactive rehabilitation approach is based on a Sports Medicine Model of care that promotes fast and complete injury recovery, functional assessment, patient education, prevention and confidence to return back to work and play. 

At ProActive, our Athletic Therapists conduct a thorough functional assessment, determine the cause of the problem, educate the patient, provide a detailed treatment plan for clarity, along with a personalized home exercise program. All treatment sessions are hands-on and include assessment, muscle testing, patient education, deep tissue manual therapy, joint mobilization, modalities and exercise progressions. We recondition injuries incurred from sports, recreation, daily activities and workplace.  

While Athletic Therapists are best known for their quick-thinking on-field emergency care of professional and elite athletes, in reality they treat a wide range of patients, from kids with concussions to seniors recovering from hip replacement surgery. 

Certified Athletic Therapists are recognized by the credential CAT(C).

Athletic Therapists can treat many conditions including, but not limited to:

• Back & neck pain (Sciatica, disc herniation, stenosis) 
• Concussion and Vertigo Management and Baseline Testing 
• Ligament sprains and muscle strains 
• Repetitive stress injuries (tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, tendonitis, tendinosis, bursitis) 
• Knee, foot, ankle and shoulder injuries
• Pre-surgery preparation and post-surgery recovery 
• Acute, chronic and athletic injuries 
• Work related pain/injuries 

What it is and how Athletic Therapy can help. 

What is a concussion? 

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that usually temporarily affects your brain function and may produce symptoms, such as headaches, problems with concentration, memory, balance and coordination. Loss of consciousness is not as common as one may think when talking about concussion symptoms. 

Concussions are usually caused by a blow to the head or violently shaking of the head and upper body, such as in contact sport, motor vehicle accidents or falls.  

Athletic Therapy Post-Injury Assessment: 

Athletic Therapists can provide a comprehensive clinical assessment that includes a detailed interview and clinical tests to determine the level of your concussion. Athletic Therapists can use the results of the assessment to recommend a treatment plan, and refer you to any practitioners that may be appropriate, if needed. The assessment can also be shared with your physician to guide their treatment plan including any further testing. 

Athletic Therapy Treatment & Rehabilitation: 

Athletic Therapists specialize in musculoskeletal injuries, therefore if you suffered whiplash with your injury or are experiencing signs and/or symptoms of a cervicogenic concussion, we can treat you using manual therapy techniques and strengthening exercises for your neck.  The therapist will make recommendations on the appropriate treatment plan, around return to work, school and/or sport. 

Concussion baseline testing is used to establish an athlete’s regular performance level for certain physical and cognitive abilities. It is important to have this baseline information prior to a head injury, especially for contact sports where there is an increased risk of receiving a hit to the body or head that can cause a concussion. Ideally, the baseline test is performed near the beginning of the competitive season and updated on a yearly basis. 

After a concussion is sustained, the test is repeated as a part of the recovery process. Using information from the baseline and the post-injury tests, our Certified Athletic Therapists can compare the data and use it as a guide to help determine whether or not you are ready to return to play.

At ProActive, we use an innovative app called Sway Medical that uses sensors from your mobile device to provide us with objective data on balance, reaction time, visual processing and memory. It is quick and easy to perform, allowing for one athlete or an entire team to be tested simultaneously.

Team Concussion Baseline Testing:

All athletes are conveniently tested together at the same time.  Athletes need to bring their cell phones for the testing. 
Cost is $28 (tax incl) per athlete (minimum of 12 athletes) –  takes up to 1 hour

Individual Concussion Baseline Testing:

Athletes need to bring their cell phones for the testing. Cost is $40 (tax incl) per athlete