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Writer's pictureGreg Stern

Sports Physiotherapy in Montreal: Injury Prevention, Recovery, and Performance

Sports Physiotherapy in Montreal: Injury Prevention, Recovery, and Performance


The Unfortunate Trajectory: From Athletics to Deskbound and Afraid of Sports


At Ground Up Physio, we know that everyone has the potential to be athletic—it's just a matter of reconnecting with movement. For many people, the path from youthful activity to adult desk jobs leaves them stiff, unbalanced, and sometimes fearful of injury. Our Montreal sports physiotherapy approach brings the joy and confidence of movement back to people at every stage, blending rehabilitation with performance-driven training.


From Active Kids to Stiff Adults: Why Does It Happen?


At Ground Up Physio, we believe every individual is an athlete. As children, we had an innate knack for movement: we saw open grass and wanted to run; we saw a jungle gym and wanted to climb. Then came high school, university, and eventually desk jobs that required hours of static positions. For most, this transition signaled the end of engagement with three-dimensional movement—a hallmark of sports—and the start of a gym routine focused mostly on linear, repetitive exercises like squats, deadlifts, and pull-ups. While these gym exercises build strength, they rarely engage the side-to-side and rotational movements that are crucial for sports and fluid movement.


Our bodies are designed for more dynamic activity. But with old injuries, poor training habits, and limited motion from desk jobs, people often feel stiff, disconnected, and in pain by their 20s or 30s. At Ground Up, our injury prevention and athlete rehabilitation approaches are designed to reconnect you with balanced, coordinated movement, so you can feel comfortable and confident in your body once again.


Typical Sports Physiotherapy vs. the Ground Up Approach: Isolation vs. Integration


At Ground Up, we respect that all healthcare professionals aim to help their clients; however, typical physiotherapy often uses passive, reductionist methods that focus on isolated joint or muscle exercises. Many traditional sports physiotherapy programs give patients exercises that target one joint or muscle group at a time. But the body is an interconnected system that functions best when muscles and joints work in harmony. At Ground Up Physio, we train the whole body to engage every joint and muscle, focusing on real-world movements. Our methods create resilience by preparing clients for the unpredictability of sports and daily life.


Our unique approach to Montreal sports physiotherapy goes beyond linear and isolated movements, integrating rotational and multidirectional exercises that prepare individuals for the demands of sport and help them rediscover their athletic potential.


Comprehensive Assessments Rooted in Your Story

Our comprehensive assessments focus on discovering the root causes of pain so we can address them effectively. We take the time to understand your history and lifestyle, analyzing your movement and gait to identify where your body is avoiding motion and which joints and muscles are under stress. This approach to athlete rehabilitation allows us to develop personalized, progressive treatment plans that align with your goals.


Take Sam, a Canadian national team wrestler who came to us with recurring ankle pain. Through our specialized rotational movement exercises, he became pain-free and stronger on the mat. Our Montreal sports physiotherapy approach helped him achieve results where other therapies hadn’t.



Sam Barmish, Canadian national team wrestler at a competition
Sam Barmish, Canadian national team wrestler, performing a rotational exercise for ankle rehabilitation at Ground Up Physio in Montreal















Rehabilitation That Mirrors Real-World Movement


Our rehabilitation involves progressive overload, challenging the body in three dimensions with increased load, speed, and changes in direction as progress allows. Many athletes find even our body-weight exercises challenging, as their bodies are accustomed to linear movements and lack multidirectional strength.


Ground Up’s injury prevention methods engage muscles in all directions and planes, building a strong foundation for resilience and performance. We focus on precise biomechanics to deepen body connection, balance, and agility. This holistic approach helps athletes feel more connected and fluid in their movements, reducing the risk of future injuries.


Preparing Athletes for the Real Demands of Sport


As specialists in sports physiotherapy in Montreal, we bridge the gap between traditional rehab and real-world sports demands. Instead of merely assuming that an athlete is ready to return to play based on daily activities or drills, we stress-test them with sport-specific simulations in the clinic. This approach exposes weak points and ensures they’re fully prepared for the physical and mental demands of their sport.


Practice What We Preach


At Ground Up, we embody the practices we teach. Our team regularly trains with unique tools like kettlebells, maces, and flow ropes, which help us strengthen rotational movements, coordination, and agility. Our personal experience with these movements enables us to coach any athlete from a place of understanding and empathy, knowing firsthand the challenges and rewards of reconnecting with dynamic movement.





Why Choose Ground Up Physio for Your Athletic Journey?


At Ground Up Physio, we aim to help you move better, prevent injury, and optimize performance. Here’s what sets our Montreal sports physiotherapy approach apart:


  • Injury Prevention: We assess and correct movement imbalances and side-to-side stability to reduce injury risks. By strengthening the body in all directions with three-dimensional exercises, we prepare you for the unpredictability of sports.


  • Effective Recovery: Our athlete rehabilitation programs go beyond passive, isolated exercises. We retrain your body with upright, dynamic movements that reflect real-world demands, so you reconnect with functional movement for daily life and sports.


  • Comprehensive, Progressive Treatment: Our progressive overload approach challenges your strength, endurance, and adaptability over time, creating a solid foundation for performance enhancement and athletic performance.


  • Return-to-Sport Confidence: We perform sport-specific stress tests to ensure you’re fully ready for competition, building resilience, fluidity, and trust in your movement to help you play with confidence.


  • Performance Enhancement: By incorporating rotational movements, unique tools, and precise biomechanics, we enhance your speed, agility, and stability, so you can perform at your best and avoid overloading specific joints.


At Ground Up Physio, our mission is to help you move with strength, confidence, and freedom. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, aiming to prevent future ones, or striving to elevate your performance, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Ready to rediscover your full athletic potential? Contact us today and learn how the Ground Up approach can empower you to reach new heights in your athletic journey.

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