ATHLETES
PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR ATHLETES
Your End Game Is Our Priority
Whether you’re competing at the high school, collegiate, recreational, or professional level, injuries can interrupt more than your season—they can affect your confidence, performance, and long-term athletic goals.
At Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, sports medicine is more than a specialty—it’s part of who we are. Our clinicians have extensive experience treating athletes of all ages and backgrounds, from youth sports to collegiate athletics, elite competitors, tactical athletes, and professional athletes. We understand the physical and mental demands of returning to competition, and we build individualized rehabilitation programs that help athletes recover safely while optimizing performance.
What does that mean? It means that our goal isn’t simply to get you back on the field, court, track, or slopes. Our goal is to help you optimize performance by keying into the specific demands of your sport and integrating rehabilitation strategies to make your return to sport seamless and successful as possible. We will meticulously evaluate movement patterns and progress you carefully to your highest level of performance.
Why Athletes Choose Forza
Athletes require more than symptom relief—they require rehabilitation that prepares them for the specific demands of competition.
At Forza, we combine evidence-based rehabilitation with performance-focused training to help athletes safely return to sport while minimizing the risk of re-injury.
Our approach includes:
- Comprehensive movement evaluations
- Sport-specific rehabilitation
- Progressive strength and conditioning
- Agility, plyometric, and neuromuscular specific exercise
- Running and movement analysis
- Return-to-sport testing
- Performance training
- Injury prevention strategies
- Close collaboration with physicians, athletic trainers, coaches, and parents
Every rehabilitation program is individualized to the athlete, the injury, the sport, and the goals of that athlete.
Athletes We Serve
Youth Athletes
Building Healthy Movement Patterns
Youth athletes need to be addressed differently. Young athletes are still developing physically, neurologically, and emotionally while simultaneously learning the skills and demands of their sport. Overuse injuries are not uncommon, and care must be taken to respect growth plate (physeal) injuries and pain and injury to soft tissues due to growth spurts. Young athletes are a completely different category of athlete that needs specific treatments and understanding.
Common conditions include:
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Sever’s disease
- Little League shoulder
- Little League elbow
- Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome
- Other Apophyseal injuries
- Overuse injuries
- Stress reactions
- Muscle imbalances
- Coordination deficits
Rather than emphasizing aggressive strengthening or early sport specialization, rehabilitation at this stage focuses on restoring normal movement, improving coordination, developing strength appropriate for age, correcting movement mechanics, and educating athletes, parents, and coaches on safe training practices.
Our goal is not simply returning young athletes to play—it is helping them build a foundation for long-term athletic success.
Adolescent & High School Athletes
Navigating Rapid Growth and Increasing Demands
Adolescence is one of the most challenging periods for injury prevention.
Rapid growth, hormonal changes, increasing training volumes, and year-round sports create unique demands on the developing athlete.
As growth accelerates, bones often lengthen faster than muscles and tendons can adapt, contributing to decreased flexibility, altered movement mechanics, and increased injury risk.
Common injuries include:
- ACL injuries
- Patellar instability
- Patellar tendinopathy
- Meniscus injuries
- Shoulder instability
- Multi-directional instability
- Shoulder dislocations
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Ankle sprains
- Stress fractures
- Lumbar stress injuries
- Hip impingement and labrum injuries
- Muscle strains
At this stage, rehabilitation expands beyond injury recovery to include strength development, neuromuscular control, power production, movement efficiency, and injury prevention.
We also recognize the emotional side of sports injuries. Missing a season or important competition can be difficult, and we work closely with athletes, parents, coaches, athletic trainers, and physicians to guide athletes safely back to competition.
Collegiate Athletes
Returning to Peak Performance
Collegiate athletes compete at an exceptionally high level. From both a neuromuscular and athletic performance perspective, they are often at or near their peak physical capabilities. As a result, the injuries seen at this level are typically different from those in younger athletes. Rather than growth-related conditions, collegiate athletes are more likely to sustain acute ligament, muscle, tendon, and joint injuries resulting from the high demands of competition.
Research suggests that collegiate athletes sustain an average of two injuries each year, with the knee, ankle, and shoulder among the most commonly injured body regions. Injury patterns also vary considerably by sport. For example, collegiate wrestlers experience high rates of shoulder instability and dislocations, while soccer athletes are more susceptible to knee injuries such as ACL tears and meniscal injuries. Distance runners are more prone to bone stress injuries, whereas overhead athletes often develop shoulder and elbow conditions related to repetitive loading.
Understanding these sport-specific injury patterns—and the physical demands unique to each sport—is essential for designing an effective rehabilitation program. At Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we develop individualized treatment plans that address not only the injured tissue but also the movement patterns, strength, power, endurance, and sport-specific skills required for a safe and successful return to competition.
Treatment often emphasizes:
- Advanced strength development
- Explosive power and rate of force production
- Agility and change-of-direction training
- Sport-specific movement analysis
- Performance optimization
- Objective return-to-sport testing
- Load management and recovery strategies
Our clinicians have extensive experience working alongside collegiate athletic programs and understand the expectations placed on student-athletes both physically and academically. Whether working with athletes from UMaine, or Thomas, Colby, Bowdoin, or Bates Colleges, our goal is to help each athlete return to competition with confidence while minimizing the risk of re-injury.
Adult & Recreational Athletes
Not every athlete competes for a championship.
Some compete to finish their first 5K. Others train for marathons, triathlons, CrossFit competitions, skiing, cycling, hiking, golf, tennis, pickleball, or simply to stay active.
As we age, tissues change. We stop gaining muscle and start the slow process of losing it (sarcopenia). Cardiac output decreases. Tendons and cartilage become more degenerative leading to joint stiffness and mobility loss. Physiologically, athletic performance gradually changes with age. However, the profile of the “master athlete” in comparison to that of a healthy but non-exercising counterpart, shows several distinct differences. In essence, consistent, life-long exercise is as close to the fountain of youth you are going to get.
Inevitably, injuries occur. In a 10-year study of injuries on adults older than 55 year, it was found that most injuries occurred playing golf, pickleball, tennis, and weightlifting. Sprains and strains are most common, while fractures were most common in racket sports, and baseball.
Our goal at Forza Physical Therapy is to keep you active. This means educating you on preventative strategies to mitigate injuries, and to promote strength, flexibility, and optimal movement patterns to foster life-long exercise.
If your goal is to continue doing what you love, we’ll help you get there.
Sports and Activities We Commonly Treat
Our clinicians routinely treat athletes participating in:
- Hunting
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Baseball & Softball
- Football
- Lacrosse
- Field Hockey
- Ice Hockey
- Running & Track
- Cross Country
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Golf
- Tennis
- Pickleball
- Road Cycling
- Mountain Biking (including cycle cross)
- Cross Country Skiing
- Alpine Skiing
- Snowboarding
- CrossFit
- Strength Sports
- Cheerleading
- Dance
- Martial Arts
- Swimming
- Fly Fishing
Common Athletic Injuries
We frequently evaluate and treat:
- ACL injuries
- Meniscus tears
- Patellofemoral pain
- Patellar tendinopathy
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Ankle sprains
- Stress fractures
- Shin splints
- Plantar fasciitis
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Shoulder instability
- Labral injuries
- Throwing injuries
- Tennis elbow
- Hip impingement (FAI)
- Muscle strains
- Hamstring injuries
- Groin injuries
- Low back pain
- Neck injuries
- Running-related injuries
- Overuse injuries
Return-to-Sport Testing
Returning to sport should never be based solely on time.
At Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we utilize objective return-to-sport testing to evaluate strength, movement quality, balance, power, agility, and sport-specific readiness before an athlete returns to unrestricted participation. Most of the testing batteries we use have been researched and validated to help reduce the risk of re-injury.
These tests help athletes, parents, coaches, physicians, and surgeons make informed decisions about safely returning to sports, whether that be on a limited basis, or to full, unrestricted competitive level.
We believe athletes earn their return—not simply because enough time has passed, but because they have demonstrated they are physically prepared for the demands of their sport.
Performance Training
Recovery is only part of the process.
Once rehabilitation is complete, many athletes choose to continue improving their performance through individualized performance training.
Our performance programs emphasize:
- Strength
- Speed
- Power
- Agility
- Balance
- Movement efficiency
- Injury prevention
Whether preparing for your next season or striving for a personal best, our goal is helping you perform at your highest level.
Why Sports Medicine Matters
Athletic injuries are about more than pain. They’re about missing practices, losing confidence, sitting on the sidelines, and wondering when you’ll be able to compete again.
Our clinicians understand that recovery is both physical and mental. We work alongside athletes throughout every stage of rehabilitation, providing education, encouragement, and evidence-based treatment to help them return with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you treat athletes who are not injured?
Absolutely. Many athletes seek physical therapy to address movement limitations, improve flexibility, correct strength imbalances, enhance performance, or reduce their risk of future injury. Performance training and injury prevention are valuable components of long-term athletic development.
Can I see a physical therapist without a referral?
Yes. Maine’s direct access laws allow many patients to begin physical therapy without first obtaining a physician referral. If additional medical evaluation is needed, we’ll help coordinate your care with the appropriate healthcare provider. (link to direct access info)
When is it safe to return to sports?
Every injury is different. Rather than relying on a specific timeline, we use objective clinical testing, sport-specific movement assessments, strength measurements, and functional testing to determine when you’re ready to safely return to competition. The decision to return an athlete to sport is a collaborative effort involving our team, the athlete, and the referring physician or surgeon.
Do you communicate with my athletic trainer or physician?
Yes. We believe communication is essential for optimal outcomes. When appropriate, we collaborate with athletic trainers, physicians, orthopedic surgeons, coaches, and parents to ensure everyone is working toward the same goal—helping the athlete return safely and successfully.
Ready to Return to Your Sport?
Whether you’re recovering from an injury, preparing for surgery, working toward your next season, or looking to improve your performance, the team at Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine is ready to help.
Schedule an evaluation today and discover how individualized sports physical therapy can help you recover stronger, perform better, and return to the sports you love.