Expert treatment for activity-related injuries
Sports physiotherapy addresses injuries and pain from physical activity or repetitive movement. Practitioners assess musculoskeletal function, apply manual techniques, and design exercise programs. Revibe offers sports physiotherapy in Mississauga and Markham for individuals recovering from strain or working to restore mobility after injury.
The approach differs from general physiotherapy in its focus on activity-related demands—restoring not only pain-free movement but also the capacity to perform sport-specific or physically demanding tasks. Treatment combines biomechanical assessment with progressive rehabilitation to understand why the injury occurred and what changes will prevent recurrence.
What Is Sports Physiotherapy
Sports physiotherapy examines how physical activity affects muscles, joints, and connective tissues. Practitioners treat injuries from training, competition, or repetitive strain. Assessment identifies movement restrictions. Manual therapy addresses soft tissue and joint limitations. Exercise protocols target specific functional deficits.
A runner recovering from patellar tendinopathy requires different loading strategies than someone rehabilitating from a desk-related shoulder injury. Sports physiotherapy accounts for these demands. Treatment combines biomechanical assessment with progressive rehabilitation. The physiotherapist analyzes how movement patterns contribute to injury, then addresses those patterns through manual therapy and corrective exercise.
Activity-Focused Rehabilitation
Sports physiotherapy restores not only pain-free movement but also the capacity to perform sport-specific or physically demanding tasks. Treatment prepares tissues for the demands of your specific activities, whether competitive athletics, recreational fitness, or physically demanding work. Progressive loading protocols rebuild capacity safely while preventing re-injury.
Comprehensive Assessment
Each treatment plan reflects the individual's specific condition, activity demands, and recovery timeline. A competitive athlete returning to sport has different goals than a recreational exerciser managing chronic pain. Assessment identifies contributing factors including muscle imbalance, flexibility restrictions, training errors, poor movement mechanics, or inadequate recovery between sessions.
Conditions Commonly Treated
Sports physiotherapists work with activity-related musculoskeletal injuries across multiple body regions. Treatment addresses both acute and chronic conditions.
Lower Body Injuries
Muscle strains in the hamstring, quadriceps, or calf muscles are treated through progressive loading protocols. Ligament sprains, including ankle sprains and knee ligament injuries, receive stabilization exercises and proprioceptive training. Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and patellar tendinopathy involve load management and eccentric strengthening programs.
Common conditions:IT band syndrome, shin splints, stress fractures, runner's knee, ankle sprains, ACL injuries, meniscus tears, and hip flexor strains.
Upper Body Injuries
Rotator cuff injuries, including tendinopathy and tears, are rehabilitated through progressive strengthening. Shoulder instability and dislocations receive stability training and proprioceptive work. Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) are treated with load management and tendon strengthening.
Common conditions:Shoulder separations, rotator cuff tears, wrist sprains, hand injuries, finger dislocations, and elbow tendinopathy.
Spine and Core
Low back pain from training load or poor mechanics receives movement assessment and core stabilization exercises. Thoracic spine dysfunction affecting shoulder or neck movement is addressed through manual therapy and mobility work. Neck pain from contact sports or poor posture requires postural correction and strengthening protocols.
Common scenarios:Training-related back pain, contact sport neck injuries, weightlifting strain, and thoracic mobility restrictions affecting performance.
Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
Orthopedic surgery rehabilitation includes ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair, rotator cuff repair, shoulder stabilization, and hip or ankle surgery. Recovery follows structured protocols with specific milestones for tissue healing, range of motion, strength development, and return to activity. The physiotherapist monitors progress and adjusts treatment based on individual response.
Common procedures:ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, meniscus surgery, shoulder stabilization, hip arthroscopy, and ankle ligament reconstruction.
Running Injuries
Running-related injuries often involve overuse or biomechanical factors. Treatment addresses load management, gait mechanics, hip and core strength, and ankle mobility. Common conditions include runner's knee, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and IT band syndrome. Rehabilitation includes progressive return-to-run protocols with monitoring of distance, pace, and frequency.
Common conditions:Patellar tendinopathy, Achilles pain, plantar fasciitis, IT band syndrome, shin splints, and stress fractures.
Team Sports Injuries
Hockey, soccer, basketball, and volleyball create risks for contact injuries, sprains, and high-velocity movements. Treatment focuses on joint stability, power development, agility training, and sport-specific conditioning. ACL injuries, ankle sprains, shoulder separations, and concussion protocols are managed with structured return-to-sport guidelines.
Common injuries:ACL tears, ankle sprains, shoulder separations, groin strains, hamstring tears, and contact-related injuries requiring return-to-sport clearance.
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Assessment and Treatment Approach
Assessment begins with injury history—how the injury occurred, what movements cause pain, and what activities are limited. The physiotherapist evaluates range of motion, strength, joint stability, and movement patterns. Contributing factors are identified to create an effective treatment plan.
The physiotherapist evaluates range of motion in affected joints, comparing injured and uninjured sides. Strength testing identifies weaknesses or imbalances. Joint stability tests check for ligament laxity or proprioceptive deficits. Movement analysis reveals compensatory patterns or technique flaws contributing to injury. A runner with knee pain may have hip weakness, limited ankle mobility, or stride mechanics that overload the knee joint.
Manual therapy techniques address joint and soft tissue restrictions. Joint mobilization restores normal joint mechanics. Soft tissue release reduces muscle tension and fascial restrictions. Trigger point therapy addresses localized muscle dysfunction. These techniques prepare tissues for exercise-based rehabilitation and improve overall movement quality.
Exercise programs rebuild strength, control, and movement quality. Early-phase exercises focus on pain-free movement and basic strengthening. Mid-phase protocols increase load and complexity, introducing sport-specific movements. Late-phase training prepares for full return to activity with plyometrics, agility work, or sport-specific drills where appropriate. Programs are tailored to individual demands and recovery timeline.
Recovery progresses through distinct phases: pain reduction, mobility restoration, strength development, functional training, and return to activity. Each phase has specific criteria before advancing. Progressing too quickly risks re-injury. Moving too slowly delays recovery unnecessarily. The physiotherapist adjusts timelines based on tissue healing rates, individual response to treatment, and functional testing results.
Clients receive guidance on modifying training or activity to support tissue healing. This may involve reducing training volume, adjusting exercise selection, or temporarily substituting activities. A runner might substitute cycling while recovering from a stress fracture. A weightlifter might modify grip width while treating elbow tendinopathy. Modified training maintains fitness while protecting injured tissues.
Sports-Specific Rehabilitation
Different activities create different injury patterns and require tailored rehabilitation approaches. Treatment addresses the specific demands of your sport or activity while building capacity for safe return to performance.
Racquet Sports: Tennis, squash, and badminton involve repetitive overhead movements and rapid directional changes. Shoulder injuries, elbow tendinopathy, and lower body strains are addressed through rotator cuff strengthening, scapular stabilization, and movement pattern correction.
Strength Training: Weightlifting and resistance training injuries often result from excessive load or poor technique. Low back strain, shoulder impingement, and knee pain receive movement assessment, load management strategies, and technique modification guidance.
Occupational Rehabilitation: Physically demanding work creates injury patterns similar to sports. Construction workers, warehouse staff, and tradespeople experience repetitive strain, lifting-related injuries, and overuse conditions. Treatment combines workplace ergonomics, movement training, and conditioning to meet job demands.
Integrating with Other Services
Sports physiotherapy at Revibe can be combined with other treatments for comprehensive rehabilitation. Massage therapy addresses muscle tension, improves local circulation, and reduces adhesions in soft tissue. Sessions complement physiotherapy by maintaining tissue quality between exercise sessions. Athletes in heavy training benefit from regular massage to manage accumulated tissue stress.
Osteopathy treats joint restrictions and structural imbalances affecting overall movement. Practitioners use manual techniques to address spinal mechanics, pelvic alignment, and extremity joint function. This approach works alongside sports physiotherapy when multiple body regions require attention.
Exercise rehabilitation provides ongoing strength and conditioning programs after initial physiotherapy treatment ends. Supervised training sessions maintain gains achieved during rehabilitation and build capacity beyond pre-injury levels. This service bridges the gap between treatment and independent training.
Clients may receive a coordinated care plan that includes physiotherapy, massage therapy, osteopathy, or exercise rehabilitation based on assessment findings. The team communicates regularly to align treatment approaches and monitor progress across services.
Who Can Benefit
Sports physiotherapy treats pain, stiffness, or movement limitations from physical activity. Recreational athletes training for fitness or weekend competition receive treatment for training-related injuries. Competitive athletes at high school, university, or professional levels require structured rehabilitation to return to performance demands.
Fitness participants including gym members, group class attendees, and individual exercisers address injuries from resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, or flexibility work. Individuals returning to exercise after injury or surgery benefit from progressive rehabilitation that rebuilds capacity safely.
Workers in physically demanding occupations—construction, warehousing, manufacturing, landscaping, or trades—address repetitive strain injuries and work-related musculoskeletal conditions. Treatment combines injury rehabilitation with workplace movement training.
Acute and Chronic Injuries
The service addresses acute injuries requiring immediate rehabilitation, chronic conditions needing load management and progressive strengthening, and functional limitations affecting sport, exercise, or work capacity. Post-surgical patients recovering from ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, or other orthopedic procedures follow evidence-based protocols. People managing chronic conditions like tendinopathy or recurrent strains receive load management strategies and corrective exercise programs.
Return to Performance
Treatment applies to anyone requiring structured rehabilitation to restore movement capacity. The focus extends beyond pain relief to include functional restoration and performance optimization. Whether returning to competitive sports, recreational activities, or physically demanding work, sports physiotherapy provides the structured progression needed for safe and effective return to full activity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Physiotherapy
No referral is required. Clients can book directly. Some insurance plans require physician referrals for coverage—check your specific plan requirements. Ontario allows direct access to physiotherapists, enabling faster treatment initiation without waiting for medical appointments.
Sports physiotherapy focuses specifically on activity-related injuries and includes return-to-sport or return-to-exercise goals. Treatment emphasizes performance-related outcomes like strength, power, and sport-specific movement patterns. Regular physiotherapy may focus more broadly on general mobility and daily function. The approach accounts for the physical demands of your specific activities.
Activity modification is common during rehabilitation. Complete rest is rarely required. The physiotherapist provides guidance on which activities to continue, which to modify, and which to temporarily avoid. Modified training maintains fitness while protecting injured tissues. The goal is to keep you active while promoting healing.
Sports physiotherapy treats anyone with activity-related pain or movement limitations. The "sports" designation refers to the treatment approach, not just the clientele. Weekend warriors, fitness enthusiasts, and physically active workers all receive appropriate care. Treatment is tailored to your specific activity demands and goals.
Return timelines depend on injury type, severity, and individual healing rates. Minor injuries may allow modified activity within days to weeks. Significant injuries or post-surgical rehabilitation require months. The physiotherapist provides estimates based on typical healing timelines and adjusts based on your specific progress. Return happens when strength, range of motion, and function meet specific criteria, not simply when pain resolves.
The initial appointment lasts 45-60 minutes. The physiotherapist reviews injury history, current symptoms, activity goals, and previous treatments. Physical examination includes movement testing, strength assessment, joint stability evaluation, and functional movement analysis. Treatment often begins during the first session with manual therapy or initial exercises. You'll receive a home exercise program with specific instructions.
Treatment frequency depends on injury severity and recovery phase. Acute injuries may require twice-weekly sessions initially, then taper to weekly as symptoms improve. Chronic conditions often start with weekly sessions. Post-surgical rehabilitation follows protocol-specific timelines with regular monitoring appointments. Your physiotherapist adjusts frequency based on your progress.
Wear comfortable clothing that allows access to the injured area. Shorts work well for lower body injuries. Tank tops or loose shirts suit shoulder or upper body conditions. Bring any imaging reports (X-rays, MRI, ultrasound) if available. List current medications or supplements. Note specific activities or movements you want to return to—this information guides treatment planning.
Some manual therapy techniques create temporary discomfort, particularly when addressing restricted tissues. Exercise programs are designed to challenge tissues without causing significant pain. The physiotherapist adjusts treatment intensity based on individual tolerance and tissue response. Temporary soreness after treatment is normal as tissues adapt to new demands.
Many extended health insurance plans cover physiotherapy services. Coverage limits vary by plan—verify your specific benefits before booking. Direct billing may be available for certain insurance providers. Receipts are provided for manual submission to insurance companies. Payment is accepted at the time of service through credit card, debit card, or cash.
Meet Our Physiotherapy Team
Scott French Physiotherapist
Michael Leung Physiotherapist
Zeeruk Rehman Physiotherapist
What Our Patients Are Saying
Best physio, tore my ACL and I feel amazing after 4 months. Zee is your guy!
I have been seeing Zee and he has been helping me with my knee rehab. Very professional and knowledgable Physio. I have been feeling better and better and honestly, it has changed my life. Clean facility with all the amenities you need and a very friendly staff.
highly recommend Revibe Mississauga for anyone needing physiotherapy, chiropractic, or massage therapy. I saw Zeeruk for physiotherapy to treat my injury, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Zeeruk truly takes the time to listen and understand his patients’ concerns, tailoring a solution that directly addresses each individual’s needs. His knowledge and dedication to his craft are clear as day, and he’s highly invested in helping his patients, like myself, recover. After over ten sessions, I see real progress and improvements daily. The clinic is excellent—it has a great location, modern facilities, and a wide range of amenities. Without a doubt, this is
Zeeruk Rehman has been a revelation in my rehab, I’ve regained my confidence in my athletic ability after my injury, and highly recommend him for anyone looking for physiotherapy. The facility and staff are top notch as well, and it’s great to be able to go to a resource like that when I need! The space has everything I need and the staff make it enjoyable to focus on getting better
Book Your Appointment in Mississauga, Markham or Burlington
Revibe operates clinics in Mississauga (serving Streetsville, Erin Mills, Meadowvale, and surrounding areas) and Markham (serving Unionville, Thornhill, Buttonville, and surrounding areas). Both locations provide comprehensive assessment and treatment services for your health and wellness needs.
Mississauga Clinic
Location: 2290 Dixie Rd, Mississauga, ON L4Y 1Z4
Phone: 905-783-8423
Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 9am-3pm
New patient visits include comprehensive assessment and first treatment session (75 minutes). Bring previous imaging reports, medical diagnoses, and lists of current symptoms. Wear comfortable clothing that allows access to treatment areas.
Serving: Streetsville, Erin Mills, Meadowvale, Churchill Meadows, Lorne Park, Port Credit, Clarkson, and surrounding Mississauga neighborhoods. Convenient access from Highway 403, QEW, and Erin Mills Parkway.
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Markham Clinic
Location: 220 Torbay Rd, Markham ON, L3R 1G6
Phone: 905-783-8423
Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 9am-3pm
Insurance coverage varies by provider. Extended health plans often include manual therapy and wellness services. Direct billing available for plans that Revibe accepts. Receipts provided for insurance submission or tax purposes.
Serving: Unionville, Thornhill, Markham Village, Buttonville, Milliken, Cornell, Angus Glen, and surrounding Markham and Richmond Hill areas. Easy access from Highway 7, Highway 404, and Major Mackenzie Drive.
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Burlington Clinic
Coming Soon
We're excited to announce that our Burlington location will be opening soon. Stay tuned for updates on our new clinic serving the Burlington, Oakville, and surrounding areas.
