Sports Rehabilitation

Advanced Treatments and Recovery for Patients with Athletic Injuries

The orthopaedic specialists at Loyola Medicine provide sports rehabilitation for athletes and active people. Loyola takes an integrated approach to care, bringing together physiatrists, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, spine care specialists, pain management specialists and nutritionists. Your sports rehabilitation team will develop a customized therapy program to help you get back to your sport as soon as possible.

Loyola’s sports medicine doctors treat a full range of conditions through the sports medicine program.

Our rehabilitation experts help athletes recover from a range of sports injuries, including:

We are committed to providing the most advanced treatment for patients with athletic injuries and offers the following specialized programs for the benefit of patients:

• Overhand athlete program — Through this program, Loyola helps tennis, baseball and volleyball players prevent and recover from a range of injuries. With new 3D sensor technology, Loyola provides throwing analysis to assess a player’s motion. Players receive regular therapy and coaching to help develop the best mechanical form to prevent injuries and protect the arm as it recovers from surgery. 
• Pelvic floor disorder program — In this program, Loyola’s sports medicine doctors collaborate with urogynecology specialists to treat the chronic pelvic pain problems that sometimes occur among triathletes. 
• Sports medicine concussion program — Loyola’s concussion program and concussion experts help athletes at all activity levels recover from concussions. We provide collaborative care among neurologists, neuropsychologists, athletic trainers and physical therapists to create an individualized management plan to get you back to your sport safely. 
• Tool-assisted therapy treatments — For athletes and others suffering from chronic muscle and tendon pain, this deep soft-tissue mobilization uses aggressive manual methods, such as the Graston Technique®, to provide relief from sports-related pain.

What to Expect During Sports Rehabilitation

Loyola’s sports rehabilitation experts begin with making a clear assessment of the problem or injury, using a complete physical exam and imaging tests if needed. We’ll make a careful biomechanical assessment of your function, strength, flexibility and mobility.

If a concussion is suspected, we will conduct a mental status test. Then we will create a rehabilitation plan for you that typically includes:

• Aquatic exercise programs, if appropriate
• Home exercise program for continued progress
• Joint and soft tissue mobilization (including the Graston Technique®)
• Medication to stop pain and inflammation, if necessary
• Mobility devices
• Progressive strengthening and conditioning
• Techniques to increase tissue flexibility and reduce pain and swelling

Except in the most serious cases, rehabilitation is an outpatient process. The length of your rehabilitation will depend on a number of factors, including the nature and severity of your injury and your physical condition.

During and after rehabilitation, Loyola’s specialists will offer general sports conditioning and training to improve your balance and muscle coordination.

What are the Risks of Sports Rehabilitation?

Sports injury rehabilitation involves exercises and changes to your training routine. It does not carry the risks associated with invasive medical procedures.

Our sports rehabilitation group will partner with you to bring you back to your activities quickly and safely. Loyola’s clinicians use the latest scientific research on sport conditioning to help minimize the risk of reinjury.