Sports physical therapy in Polk County, FL
Sports physical therapy helps you recover from a sports injury and get back to your sport with a plan built around how you train and play. We offer it at all three Core Rehabilitation clinics, in Lake Wales, Haines City and Winter Haven, and you can start without a referral.
Reviewed by Joe Koloc, PT, MSPT, MBA, founder of Core Rehabilitation. Last reviewed: October 16, 2026
At a glance
01
Helps with: Sprains, strains, tendon pain, shoulder and knee injuries, and recovery after sports surgery
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Who it's for: Athletes 12 and up, from school teams to weekend runners, golfers and gym-goers
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Where: All 3 clinics: Lake Wales, Haines City and Winter Haven
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Referral: Not needed to start in Florida
Overview
What is sports physical therapy?
Sports physical therapy is physical therapy for injuries caused by sport and exercise. A licensed physical therapist finds what was injured and why, treats it, then rebuilds your strength, movement and confidence in stages until you're ready to train and compete again.
Most sports injuries don't come from one bad moment alone. A sprain that never fully healed, a sudden jump in training, stiff hips or a change in technique can all add up. That's why your plan looks at the whole movement, not just the sore spot.
Sports rehabilitation also covers what comes after recovery. Once you're back, your therapist can help you train in ways that lower the chance of the same injury returning. It draws on the same skills as our orthopedic physical therapy, with extra focus on the speed, power and skill your sport asks of you.
Is it for you?
Signs a sports injury needs a physical therapist
Plenty of aches settle with a few days of rest. These are signs it's worth getting checked instead of playing through it.
Pain that's still there after a week or two of rest
Swelling that keeps coming back after you train or play
A knee, ankle or shoulder that feels loose, gives way or locks
Pain that changes how you run, throw, jump or swing
An injury that keeps coming back in the same spot
Stiffness or weakness that hasn't returned to normal since an injury
Not knowing when it's safe to go back to full training
Getting ready for, or recovering from, sports surgery such as an ACL repair
Get medical care first if you have: a bone or joint that looks out of place, you can't put any weight on your leg, numbness or tingling after a fall or collision, or a blow to the head followed by headache, confusion, dizziness or vomiting. A suspected concussion needs a medical check before any return to play.
What it treats
Sports injuries we commonly treat
Your plan is shaped by the injury and your sport, so a runner's knee plan looks different from a pitcher's shoulder plan.
Sprains and strains
Ankle and knee sprains, hamstring and groin strains, and other muscle and ligament injuries, from your first steps after the injury back to full speed.
Ankle sprain
Knee sprain (MCL)
Groin strain
Hamstring strain
Calf strain
Shoulder and throwing injuries
Rotator cuff strains, shoulder impingement, and the shoulder and elbow strain that comes with throwing, swimming, golf and racquet sports. Read more about neck and shoulder pain.
Rotator cuff strain
Throwing shoulder
Shoulder impingement
Swimmer's shoulder
Tendon and overuse injuries
Pain that builds with training, such as runner's knee, tennis and golfer's elbow, Achilles and patellar tendon pain, and shin splints.
Shin splints
Achilles tendinopathy
Jumper's knee
Runner's knee
Tennis elbow
Golfer's elbow
Before and after sports surgery
ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair, shoulder stabilization and other sports surgeries, following your surgeon's protocol through to a staged return to play. Our post-surgical rehab page covers recovery in detail.
Shoulder stabilization
Meniscus repair
ACL reconstruction
Ankle ligament repair
Your care
What's included in sports physical therapy
Every plan starts with your evaluation and is built around your sport, your position and where you are in your season. Most include a mix of the following.
A sports evaluation. How the injury happened, your training load, and how you move: strength, balance, flexibility and sport movements such as landing, cutting or throwing.
Hands-on therapy. Manual therapy to ease stiff joints and tight muscles, always paired with exercise.
Movement and technique retraining. Looking at how you run, land, squat or throw, and changing what's putting extra load on the injured area.
A training plan you can follow. Exercises for home or the gym, adjusted at each visit, plus a plan for building your training back up.
Early injury care. Calming pain and swelling, protecting healing tissue, and keeping the rest of you fit while the injured area recovers.
Progressive strength and power. Exercises that build from slow, controlled movements to the speed, jumping and change of direction your sport needs.
Return-to-sport testing. Strength, hop and movement checks that help you and your therapist decide when you're ready for each step back.
Injury prevention. Warm-up and strength routines aimed at lowering the chance of the injury coming back once you're playing again.
Do I need a referral for sports physical therapy?
No. In Florida you can start physical therapy, including sports physical therapy, without a physician's referral. Florida Statute §486.021 allows a physical therapist to treat you for up to 30 days without one.
What happens at your first sports physical therapy visit?
Your first visit starts with a conversation about your injury, your sport and your goals, including any games or events coming up. A first visit usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes.
Some insurance plans set their own referral rules, so our front desk checks your plan before your first visit. If you've had surgery, bring your surgeon's protocol so we can follow it.
Talk it through. How the injury happened, your training and what you want to get back to.
Movement and strength check. The injured area, the joints above and below it, and sport movements if they're comfortable.
Your findings, explained. What's likely going on and a realistic timeline, in plain language.
Your plan. How often to come in, what to change in training for now, and one or two exercises to start at home.
Working with your coach, parents and doctor
With your written permission, your therapist can share progress and training guidelines with your coach, athletic trainer or doctor, so everyone works from the same plan. Athletes under 18 come to the first visit with a parent or guardian.
Insurance
Does insurance cover sports physical therapy?
Sports physical therapy is billed as physical therapy, so it's often covered when your plan includes physical therapy benefits. Core Rehabilitation accepts more than 200 insurance plans, including Medicare, and we verify your benefits before your first visit.
Where to find it
Sports physical therapy at all three of our clinics
Looking for sports physical therapy near you? It's part of the full service menu at every Core Rehabilitation clinic in Polk County, with the same approach at each one.
Lake Wales
Sports physical therapy in Lake Wales
2031 State Rd 60 East, Lake Wales, FL 33898
Mon–Fri 8:00–12:00 & 1:00–5:00
Haines City
Sports physical therapy in Haines City
50 Maxcy Plaza Circle, Haines City, FL 33844
Mon–Fri 8:00–12:00 & 1:00–5:00
Winter Haven
Sports physical therapy in Winter Haven
3017 Cypress Gardens Rd, Winter Haven, FL 33884
Mon–Fri 9:00–12:00 & 1:00–5:00
Why it works
Why sports physical therapy is built around exercise
For common sports injuries, guidelines put exercise-based rehab at the center of care, and a staged return to sport, guided by testing, helps you get back with more confidence.
An international clinical guideline on ankle sprains, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, recommends exercise therapy, including balance and coordination training, and notes that it also helps prevent spraining the same ankle again. A 2016 consensus statement from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy describes returning to sport as a step-by-step process guided by testing, rather than a single date on the calendar. A review of randomized trials also found that strength-training programs lowered the rate of sports injuries, while stretching on its own did not.
Results differ from person to person, and recovery depends on the injury, your sport and how your body responds. Your therapist will tell you what's realistic after your evaluation, and will send you to a doctor if something needs medical attention.
Sources: Vuurberg G, et al. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018 (ankle sprain guideline); Ardern CL, et al. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016 (Bern consensus on return to sport); Lauersen JB, et al. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014.
Keep exploring
Related care and next steps
Orthopedic physical therapy
Joint, muscle and spine care, at all three clinics.
Post-surgical rehab
Prehab and recovery after an operation.
Manual therapy
Hands-on care for still joints and tight muscles.
Start without a referral
Florida direct access, insurance and your first visit.
Frequently asked questions
Book your visit
Start with a sports injury evaluation
Tell us which clinic suits you and when you're free. We'll call to set up your first visit and check your insurance.
Lake Wales · 863-678-0705
Haines City · 863-421-2000
Winter Haven · 863-268-6523