Sports Medicine
Sports Physical Therapy Program

Sports Physical Therapy

In sports and orthopedic physical therapy, Cincinnati Children’s offers each athlete personalized care utilizing the most up-to-date research and therapists who specialize in pediatric musculoskeletal injuries. Working closely with Sports Medicine and Orthopedic physicians, we create a team that gets the athlete back safely and quickly.

Our orthopedic and sports physical therapists are committed to providing the highest quality care to each patient in a safe and professional manner. We are open for both in-person visits and video telehealth visits.

Please call 513-636-4651 to schedule a visit with one of our specialists today. Learn more about telehealth visits.

Why Choose Us?

Each child will receive a personalized evaluation and treatment plan made and carried out by your physical therapist throughout their care. We work with the child and family to ensure continuity of care with your physician to achieve the best outcomes.  

  • Pediatric Focus: Our physical therapists specialize in treating children of all ages.  Our passion for treating kids allows us to better motivate and progress our patients throughout their care. 
  • Guideline Based Care: Our team is helping to improve children’s physical therapy across the nation by creating and using pediatric treatment guidelines to achieve better outcomes, faster.
  • Constant Communication: Our physical therapist work closely with our physicians and health care team to create timely and smooth transitions from the doctor’s office to the physical therapy clinic and back to activity.  
  • Family Centered Care: Our physical therapists believe strongly in the power of family encouragement and involvement. Parents or those close to the child are encouraged to attend each therapy session in order to ask questions and help the child advance. 
  • Sport Specialty Clinics: We offer specialized clinics that further break down strength, flexibility and movements using advanced techniques that are individualized to different sports and activities.  The clinics help the athletes stay healthy and minimize re-injury. Learn more about our sport specialty clinics.  
  • FUN: Working with children is our physical therapists’ passion.  We strive to make each visit productive, interactive, and fun to keep our patients smiling.

Many of our physical therapists have gone on to achieve specialty certifications in a variety of areas to better serve our patients: 

  • Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT): Physical therapist with a clinical doctoral degree in physical therapy.  
  • Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy (OCS): Physical therapist with specialized knowledge and advanced clinical proficiency in orthopedics.  
  • Board Certified Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy (SCS): Physical therapist with specialized knowledge and advanced clinical proficiency in sports.  
  • Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS): Physical therapist with specialized knowledge in the strength and conditioning of athletes.

We have many clinics conveniently located throughout the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. Learn more about locations and directions.

What to Expect

Before scheduling your appointment, your child must have a referral for physical therapy.

Prior to Your First Appointment

  • Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your initial evaluation in order to complete registration
  • Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes: 
    • Shorts for lower extremity visits
    • Tank tops or short sleeve shirt for upper extremity visits
  • Please wear athletic shoes (no sandals)
  • Parents / guardians must accompany patient to the initial evaluation
  • Please bring your child’s insurance card
  • Please familiarize yourself with your insurance benefits prior to treatment. For questions, read our Billing Information
  • Please bring your calendar to schedule follow-up appointments

During Your Visits

  • Each visit lasts approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour
  • At the initial evaluation, the following will be performed:
    • You and your child will be asked questions about your child’s condition or injury
    • Your physical therapist will perform measurements and testing specific to your child’s condition in order to create an individualized care plan 
  • After the evaluation, your physical therapist will:
    • Determine how often they would like to see you for follow-up physical therapy visits
    • Provide your child with a home program focused on their goals
    • Spend time discussing how physical therapy may help your child 
  • At each follow-up visit:
    • Your child will be instructed in a personalized program that may include exercises to improve strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, or daily activities. Your child’s individualized physical therapy (PT) program will progress appropriately throughout the duration of care with collaborative efforts between your referring provider and your physical therapist

Scheduling for follow-up appointments may be done following the initial evaluation. Times after school and in the morning will be available for follow-up visits.

Our Research

Cincinnati Children's is currently active with research in multiple different areas of evaluation, treatment and injury prevention. The mission of Cincinnati Children's is to continually improve ourselves and share our knowledge with other clinicians to better serve patients in Cincinnati and around the world.