Specialties
Sports
Rehab
Getting you back in the game isn’t enough. Getting you back stronger, better prepared, and less likely to get hurt again — that’s the goal. Sport-specific rehab for athletes at every level.
Your Comeback Starts Here
Sports rehab at Ethos is a distinct clinical specialty
Too many athletes return to sport too early, with strength deficits, compensatory movement patterns, and an insufficient understanding of how their body will respond to full competitive load. Reinjury is the predictable result. Our sports medicine rehab program is designed to prevent exactly that.
We work with athletes across the full spectrum — from early post-operative recovery to advanced return-to-sport testing. Our therapists are trained in full-body movement screening tools including the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and VALD force plates, which allows us to objectively identify not just the injured area, but the movement pattern dysfunctions that may have contributed to the injury — and that, if left uncorrected, will contribute to the next one. We also offer preventative screening for athletes who want to reduce injury risk before something goes wrong and our comprehensive Return To Sport testing for those returning from injury.
COMMON SPORTS INJURIES
- ACL tears and reconstruction rehab
- Meniscus injuries
- Rotator cuff tears and strains
- Shoulder labral tears and SLAP injuries
- Ankle sprains and chronic instability
- Hamstring and hip flexor strains
- IT band syndrome
- Patellofemoral pain (runner’s knee)
- Tennis and golfer’s elbow
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Shin splints and stress reactions
- Concussion — return-to-sport phase
RETURN TO SPORT PROCESS — STEPS
01 Biomechanical Evaluation — We assess your movement patterns, strength deficits, and sport-specific demands using validated clinical screening tools — including the SFMA and VALD force plates when appropriate — to understand the full picture.
02 Hands-On Treatment — Manual therapy to address pain, restricted mobility, and tissue dysfunction, combined with targeted strengthening for the muscles and movement patterns critical to your sport.
03 Sport-Specific Functional Training — As you progress, your training becomes increasingly specific to the demands of your sport — replicating the movements, intensities, and decision points you’ll face on return.
04 Return-to-Play Criteria — Clearance is based on objective criteria — strength ratios, functional testing, sport-specific performance benchmarks — not just time or symptom resolution. You return when your body is actually ready.
Not currently in PT but need objective clearance data before returning to play?
We offer standalone Return to Sport Testing — a comprehensive, out-of-pocket evaluation that gives athletes, parents, coaches, and physicians the data to make that decision with confidence.
Better Data for better outcomes
VALD Force Plate Technology
Recovery isn’t just about how something feels — it’s about what the data shows. Ethos uses VALD force plates to take the guesswork out of return-to-sport decisions. These clinical-grade platforms measure force, power, and movement asymmetries with precision that hands-on assessment alone can’t match, giving your therapist objective benchmarks to track your progress and clear criteria to guide your return to full activity.
- Limb symmetry testing — Identify strength and power imbalances between sides that may not be visible or detectable through standard assessment
- Jump and landing mechanics — Measure explosive output and force absorption to evaluate readiness for sport-specific demands
- Progress tracking — Objective data at each stage of rehab so your plan advances based on performance, not just time
- Return-to-sport clearance — Evidence-based benchmarks that give you — and your therapist — confidence that you’re actually ready to go back
Play Better. Feel Better. Stay in the Game.
Golf Performance & Rehab
The most important piece of equipment in your golf game is your body. We help you move better through the swing — reducing injury risk and improving performance for golfers at every skill level.
Golf is a sport that demands more from the body than most recreational players appreciate. The rotational forces generated through the swing, repeated hundreds of times per season, create significant physical demands on the spine, hips, shoulders, and wrists. When the body can’t move efficiently through those demands — due to mobility restrictions, strength deficits, or poor movement patterns — pain and injury are often the result.
At Ethos Physical Therapy, our golf rehab program uses the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) assessment model — the industry gold standard for evaluating the relationship between the body and the golf swing. Through a comprehensive full-body movement analysis, we identify exactly where your physical limitations are affecting your swing mechanics, and we design a targeted program of corrective exercises, manual therapy, and golf-specific strengthening to address them. Whether you’re dealing with an injury or simply want to move better and lower your scores, golf rehab at Ethos is built for you.
WHAT WE ADDRESS
- Golf-related low back pain
- Hip rotation restrictions affecting swing mechanics
- Lead-side knee pain
- Shoulder pain and rotator cuff conditions
- Golfer’s elbow and wrist injuries
- Rib and thoracic spine injuries
- Swing efficiency through improved mobility
- Injury prevention and performance optimization
THE TPI ASSESSMENT
The TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) model is the most widely used golf fitness assessment tool in the world. It evaluates 16 physical screens and correlates the results with 15 common swing characteristics — giving your therapist a clear, objective picture of exactly where your body is limiting your game. Players of all handicaps benefit from this assessment.
Advanced Tools. Better Outcomes.
LSX-500 Lightspeed Lift
Our body weight support treadmill allows patients to walk, run, and train with reduced joint load — enabling earlier gait training, faster recovery, and higher-performance rehabilitation.
The LSX-500 Lightspeed Lift is an unweighting treadmill system that provides up to 60 pounds of body weight support during walking, jogging, or running — significantly reducing the compressive forces on joints without eliminating the movement and strengthening benefits of weight-bearing activity. It’s an advanced rehabilitation tool that opens up possibilities that simply aren’t available on a standard treadmill.
At Ethos Physical Therapy, the LSX-500 is a clinical asset used across post-surgical rehab, neurological conditions, pain management programs, and athletic performance training. Patients who cannot yet safely walk at full body weight can begin gait training earlier in their recovery — which accelerates strength gains, improves cardiovascular conditioning, and supports neuromuscular recovery. For athletes, it allows us to address high-intensity running mechanics with a reduced injury risk during the return-to-sport phase.
WHO BENEFITS
- Post-surgical patients not yet cleared for full weight-bearing
- Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip
- Neurological patients (post-stroke, MS, Parkinson’s Disease) working on gait
- Athletes in late-stage sports rehab training running mechanics
- Patients with chronic pain during walking or running
- Individuals who are deconditioned or significantly overweight
- Building walking confidence for patients with balance deficits or increased fall risk
KEY BENEFITS
Earlier Gait Training — Patients can begin walking rehabilitation before they’re cleared for full weight-bearing. This earlier activation of normal gait patterns accelerates strength, coordination, and recovery timelines.
Reduced Joint Stress — Up to 60 lbs of unweighting reduces compressive forces on arthritic, post-surgical, or painful joints — allowing therapeutic movement that would otherwise be too painful or contraindicated.
Improved Running Mechanics — Athletes and runners can practice proper gait mechanics at higher speeds with reduced injury risk during the return-to-sport phase of rehabilitation.
Are You Ready to Play?
Return to Sport Testing
Feeling ready to return to sport is not the same as being ready. The difference — measured objectively — is what separates athletes who come back successfully from those who re-injure within a season. Our Return to Sport Testing program is a comprehensive, standardized evaluation designed to give athletes, parents, coaches, and physicians the objective data they need to make that decision with confidence — not instinct, and not a calendar.
The evaluation covers a battery of functional tests — including strength assessment using our VALD force plates, hop testing, movement quality screening, and sport-specific performance measures — and produces a limb symmetry index and functional performance profile benchmarked against evidence-based return-to-sport criteria. No guessing. No “you feel good, go ahead.” Just data, clearly presented and reviewed with you by your therapist.
Return to Sport Testing is available as a standalone service. You do not need to be an active Ethos patient or currently enrolled in a PT plan to schedule a session.
Important: This is an out-of-pocket service and is not covered by health insurance. A completed intake form is required before your appointment can be confirmed.
Who Should Schedule Testing
- Athletes completing post-surgical rehabilitation (ACL, meniscus, joint replacement, etc.)
- Athletes recovering from significant lower or upper extremity injury
- Athletes whose physician or surgeon has requested objective clearance data
- Athletes returning after an extended absence from sport
- High school, college, or competitive athletes whose coaches or teams require clearance documentation
- Parents or athletes who want objective data — not just a timeline — before returning to full participation
Setting Expectations
What’s Tested
- Single-leg hop tests (single, triple, crossover, 6-meter timed)
- Limb symmetry index (LSI) — comparing injured vs. uninjured side
- Lower extremity strength assessment using VALD force plates
- Functional movement quality screening
- Landing mechanics and neuromuscular control
- Sport-specific movement patterns
- Psychological readiness assessment
- Findings benchmarked against evidence-based return-to-sport criteria
Complete your intake form and our team will be in touch to confirm your session at Plymouth or South Lyon.
Details:
Cost: Out-of-pocket. Not covered by insurance.
Intake Form Required: Must be completed before appointment is confirmed.
No Active PT Plan Required: Open to any athlete. No referral needed.
Available At: Both Plymouth and South Lyon locations. Note “Return to Sport Testing” when scheduling.
Come Back Strong.
Don’t wait on an injury to resolve on its own — and don’t rush back before you’re truly ready.
Our sports medicine rehab team serves athletes in Plymouth, South Lyon, and across Southeast Michigan.
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