Sports Physical Therapy

At Phoenix Children’s, many of our sports physical therapists are residency-trained, board-certified and have firsthand coaching experience. We specialize in rehabilitating sports injuries, such as ACL tears, with a deep understanding of how young athletes move, grow and recover.

Inside our state-of-the-art clinics, young athletes train on the same high-performance equipment used in professional facilities. They also train under the guidance of sports physical therapists who know what it takes to get back in the game. Many of our sports physical therapists were competitive athletes themselves, giving them unique insight into the recovery journey. To ensure safe and confident return to play, we offer: 

ACL Reconstruction Rehabilitation

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can be an extremely challenging setback for young athletes. We designed our ACL rehabilitation program to guide athletes through every stage of recovery, from surgery to full return to sport, with a focus on safety, strength and confidence.

We understand that ACL recovery is about more than healing a knee. It’s about helping young athletes rebuild trust in their bodies, restore performance and return to the activities they love with confidence.

Our sports physical therapists specialize in evidence-based ACL rehabilitation for growing athletes. We tailor each program to the individual’s sport, position and stage of development, ensuring the right balance of challenge and protection at every step.

Our program includes:

  • Early recovery and protection: Reducing swelling, restoring range of motion and regaining control of the muscles that stabilize the knee
  • Strength and movement retraining: Building strength in the hips, thighs and core to restore proper movement mechanics
  • Neuromuscular control and balance: Using dynamic exercises to retrain how the body reacts, moves and stabilizes during sport-specific activities
  • Progressive return-to-sport training: Incorporating cutting, jumping, landing and agility drills that mirror sport demands
  • Injury prevention education: Teaching athletes movement strategies and training habits that reduce the risk of re-injury, including strength testing and readiness assessments before full clearance

Each athlete receives a personalized recovery timeline, clear goals and continuous support from a team that understands the physical and emotional challenges of ACL recovery. We measure progress and ensure every athlete meets performance milestones before returning to competition.

Whether your child’s goal is to return to the field, court or gym, we built our ACL program to restore strength, confidence and long-term athletic health.
 

AlterG® Anti-Gravity TreadmillTM

The state-of-the-art AlterG treadmills reduce body weight load, allowing athletes to walk or run earlier in their recovery without added stress on healing tissues.

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training

BFR uses controlled pressure cuffs to safely limit blood flow during low-load exercise, helping patients build strength and endurance when traditional strength training isn’t possible.

Cupping Therapy

Cupping is a therapy for soft tissue injuries that uses suction to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation and support recovery.

Dry Needling

Our sports physical therapists have specialized training in this skilled technique, which uses thin needles to release muscle tightness, reduce pain and improve mobility.

Instrument-assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)

Our sports physical therapists use specially designed tools to target areas of tissue restriction, improving mobility and reducing pain.

Plyometric and Agility Training

We help young athletes engage in progressive jumping, landing and directional change drills designed to improve explosive power and return athletes to the field.

Post-operative Rehabilitation

We provide education and comprehensive rehabilitation plans tailored to each surgical procedure, guiding athletes from early recovery to a full return to sport.

Sport-specific Evaluation and Rehabilitation

We know that rehabilitation requires an in-depth knowledge of how bodies move while playing different sports. We provide personalized plans and targeted programs for a broad range of sports, including:

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Dance
  • Figure skating
  • Gymnastics
  • Football
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Track and field
  • Running
  • Volleyball

Strength & Conditioning

Our sports physical therapist team designs developmentally appropriate programs to improve strength, coordination and endurance, reduce injury risk, and support long-term athletic performance.