PT Isn’t Just for Pain: How to Know When It’s Time to Work with a Physical Therapist

As an athlete, you’re always pushing your body—to recover from injuries, to train harder, and to perform at your best when it counts. But knowing when to get support from a physical therapist isn’t always obvious. Many people think PT is only for after an injury. The truth? Physical therapy is a powerful tool for injury prevention, movement optimization, and performance enhancement, too.

Here’s how to know when working with a PT might be right for you:

1. You’re Dealing with Pain, Tightness, or a Lingering Injury

If something hurts or feels "off"—and it’s affecting how you train, recover, or compete—don't wait. The sooner you address it, the better your outcome. PT can help you heal faster, reduce pain, and correct the root cause before it leads to something more serious.

Common signs to look out for:

• Consistent joint or tendon pain during or after training

• Frequent muscle strains or overuse injuries

• Recurring pain or injury that hasn’t resolved

• Reduced range of motion or stiffness that hasn’t improved, despite your efforts

2. You’ve Just Finished Rehab and Don’t Know What’s Next

Discharge from traditional rehab doesn’t always mean you’re back to 100%. Performance-focused PT from a therapist that understands the demands of what you do bridges the gap between rehab and return to sport. By working with an expert who deeply understands the demands of what you do, you’ll rebuild the strength, power, speed, coordination, mobility, and endurance to not only return to sport but be set up to smash PRs.

3. You Want to Stay Healthy and Avoid Injury

This is where performance programming comes in. You don’t have to wait until something breaks to start building a better foundation. Getting an assessment of your movement patterns, strength imbalances, and mobility limitations to identify hidden deficits before they become problems can be a game changer. With the appropriate knowledge base and background, the therapist can develop a training program that supports both injury prevention and sport-specific goals.

4. You’re Hitting a Plateau in Your Training or Performance

If your progress has stalled, the issue may not be your willpower—it could be a movement limitation or inefficient biomechanics. The recurrence of pain or injuries is another common cause of training plateaus—having to take one to two steps back after every step forward leads to minimal progress.

5. You Want Personalized, Professional Guidance

Whether you’re dealing with an injury, returning from an injury, training for competition, or just want to feel stronger, mobile, and more resilient, PT provides expert-level support tailored to you. I work with athletes both in person and virtually to make care accessible and effective—wherever you are.

How I Can Help

I offer:

• In-person and virtual physical therapy and wellness sessions to help you get back to pain free training and competition.

• Virtual Rehab and Performance Programming to enhance strength, mobility, and durability with the goal of not only getting you back, but getting you at your best.

  
  

You don’t have to wait for an injury to work with a PT. Let’s be proactive about your health and performance.

Ready to Get Started?

Schedule your free consultation to find out if PT is right for you—or send me an email, text, or DM on Instagram (@functionreforged) to learn more about how we can support your goals!