There are many reasons why you might find yourself in need of a physical therapist. Traditionally, physical therapy has been associated with recovery and rehabilitation, but today, select physical therapists—especially those with direct access to patients—will see just as many clients for prevention and performance enhancement as they will for recovery and rehab.
“The school of thought around physical therapy used to be pain-driven,” says Dane DeLozier, DPT, a certified athletic trainer and performance enhancement specialist. “That’s not always the case anymore. We see folks that want to do more preventative work or performance enhancement work. They know there are various techniques we can utilize to keep them going strong through a season. We’re seeing athletes before the injuries occur, so the injuries don’t occur.”
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DeLozier is the biomechanics lab director at and co-founder of Revo Physiotherapy and Sports Performance. The Boulder-based practice offers a blend of physical therapy, athletic training, and conditioning to a wide range of athletes. Professional cyclists Taylor Phinney (BMC), Kiel Reijnen (Trek-Segafredo), and Meredith Miller (Noosa CX) are among the Revo regulars alongside weekend warriors and beginner athletes.
“We see high school kids who are just getting into their sports, whether that’s cycling or more traditional team sports, all the way to the elite-level athletes and everything in between,” says DeLozier.
If you find yourself in need of a physical therapist, or just want to explore physical therapy’s performance-enhancing benefits, read DeLozier's take on how you can ensure you’re in good hands:
Choose the Right PT
Most of DeLozier’s clients find Revo through word of mouth; the best starting point is to ask around for recommendations. DeLozier also suggests researching who is active in your community.
“Get online and look at the websites and social channels of practices you’re considering,” says DeLozier. “Are they at bike races and other events? Do they host classes and workshops? Are they posting information for folks?
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“You want to work with someone that understands cycling and the biomechanics of your sport,” he adds. “Your physical therapist doesn’t necessarily need to be a cyclist or a former racer, but that certainly helps.”
You’ll also need to find out if you have direct access to a physical therapist, or if you need to see your physician to get a referral. In the US, this varies from state to state.
“In Colorado, we have long-ranging direct access,” says DeLozier. “We can see and treat the patient as long as it is medically necessary.”
Ask the Right Questions
DeLozier recommends asking your potential physical therapist about the type of treatment used before you make an appointment. DeLozier’s practice is movement-based, which means he wants to see how his patients are moving both on and off the bike.
“We feel that a huge piece of most overuse injuries and sources of pain is movement-driven,” says DeLozier. He recognizes that there are various schools of thought around treatment, but firmly believes an assessment that aims to understand how a patient is moving (or not) is of utmost importance.
“Physical therapy has changed a lot in the last five to 10 years,” says DeLozier. “The traditional route was a more symptomatic route to treatment—addressing the source of your pain where it hurts and the source of your dysfunction. We take a step back and look at the whole body, the whole system. We want to understand the root cause of this dysfunction.
“Systematic treatment is great,” he adds. “We want your knee to feel better today, but in the long run, we want to address what is truly causing your pain so that it doesn’t come back.”
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Check in With Your Body
When you leave your first appointment, expect to have a clear understanding of your injury and the anatomy around it. Your physical therapist should also help you understand the movements related to your injury, and, if applicable, to your sport.
“When you walk out of your first appointment, you want to have a clear set of goals for addressing your dysfunction or your performance,” says DeLozier. “Your goals might involve range of motion, agility, stretching, mobility, strength, or activation. You want to have a well-laid out plan of what you’re going to do before you come in to see the physical therapist again.”
Be a Good Patient
DeLozier says kickass physical therapy patients have three things in common: They own their rehab, they have realistic expectations around recovery and performance enhancement, and they do their homework between sessions.
“Between sessions, do a solid job of getting the homework done so that when you go back, you can give the physical therapist information,” says DeLozier. “Not every home program is going to go flawlessly. Regardless, your experience is going to give your physical therapist critical insight into accurately diagnosing you so they can decide on a client-to-client basis what work is required to help you perform your best.”
