How Does Physical Therapy Help Athletes?

Living the athletic life demands much from your body.  When you’re challenging yourself to attain optimal performance, you’re pushing your body to its limits.

This is especially true of elite, professional athletes, but many amateurs push themselves hard, too.

Physical therapy is a component of training that professional athletes are well-acquainted with.  It’s not just there to address injuries. It’s there to maintain balance in the body and to prevent injury from occurring.

So, how does physical therapy help athletes?  Let’s unpack the question, in this post.

Keeping them on the field

All the training in the world doesn’t amount to a hill of beans if you’re not out there, competing.  Physical therapy gives athletes an edge, as when injuries occur, they’re less likely to keep them benched.  They’re also less likely to happen, as the body has been primed and the physical therapist has provided the athlete with a much more fulsome understanding of body mechanics.

And injury prevention is a huge part of physical therapy for elite athletes.  When these guys are benched, the team stands to lose a lot money and the athlete on the bench may be injured to the point that their brilliant sports careers are cut short.

By making athletes aware of mechanical deficiencies and errors in form, physical therapy can help keep them injury free and in top condition.  Weak areas can be addressed with the help of a physical therapist and fortified before they become the cause of a major injury.

Physical therapy plus

Whether you’re an elite, professional athlete, a marathoner or a Sunday jogger, injuries happen.  They just happen less frequently when you absorb the services of a physical therapist into your training routine, for all the reasons enumerated above.

But at Back & Body New Jersey, we support our physical therapy team with three other distinct disciplines.  That can really help when you’ve got an injury you need to resolve sooner than later.

Physical therapy on its own is a superior resource for athletes.  At Back & Body, we support the work of physical therapy with acupuncture, chiropractic and sports medicine.

Because our services are all under one roof, you won’t be running all over town looking for relief.  You’ll find all the award-winning pain relief you need at one facility, offering personalized care that puts you at the center of treatment and healing.

The team here saves you time by providing all the resources you need to get back out there.  We treat all kinds of athletes here, from court stars to weekend warriors, with a range of treatments and therapies you won’t find elsewhere.

Back & Body New Jersey is unique because our patients are.

Experience the difference

The renowned model employed at our clinic in New York City is now available here in New Jersey.  We brought it to New Jersey to serve patients with pain relief that’s close to home and proven highly effective.

We welcome all kinds of athletes! Contact us to add our team to yours to experience the difference.

Dr David Perna DC, CCSP, CCEP

Dr. David Perna DC, CCSP, CCEP is the founder and practice overseer at Back and Body Pain Relief in Springfield, NJ. A graduate of Life University Summa Cum Laude, Dr. Perna holds certifications in Active Release Technique (ART), Graston, SFMA, Neuro-Diagnostics (NCV/EMG), and Manipulation Under Anesthesia, among others. He is a Board Certified Sports Physician, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a United States Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Volunteer.

A competing athlete himself — a 2x Ironman 70.3 finisher with a background in Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, and martial arts – Dr. Perna brings firsthand athletic experience to his patient care.

He has treated presidents, royalty, diplomats, and professional athletes across MMA, baseball, tennis, and football, and has appeared on Dr. Oz demonstrating chiropractic therapies. His approach is diagnostic-first, combining evidence-based chiropractic care with rehabilitation to help patients get out of pain and back to full function.