Injury Rehab with a Sports Physio
Kylie Baldwin - Founder & Physiotherapist - Rehab Advantage
Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia 

With the development and opening of Rehab Advantage this month, the most common question I have been asked is “Why are you doing this?”. The context of these questions ranged from, why am I taking a risk and opening a new rehab facility from scratch, to why I would be going back to being a physio business owner knowing all too well the challenges of that space.

The answer to these questions for me has been very easy - because deep down, after 15 years of being a sports physio, I still have a fundamental passion and belief for the services that sports physios can and should offer.

The impact that a sports physio can have on an individual is profound. There is still nothing better than getting someone back to doing what they love after having a significant injury setback. Or better still working to prevent more significant issues in the long-term that impact quality of life.

That’s all well and good, “Why are you doing this?”!

If you google ‘What is a Sports Physiotherapist’? – you will find something like this:

“Sports Physiotherapy is the specialised area of Physiotherapy that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sports injuries.”

“Sports Physiotherapy is a specialised form of musculoskeletal therapy that focuses on helping athletes maximise their performance and return to full fitness after an injury.”

“Sports and Exercise Physiotherapists are involved in the prevention and management of injuries resulting from sport and exercise participation at all ages and at all levels of ability.”

Sports Physiotherapists should be specialists in just that – the diagnosis, treatment, management & prevention of injuries resulting from sport and exercise participation. With a skillset to manage injuries from diagnosis to returning to performance or full fitness. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I know, like in any profession, there is good and bad in everything. There are so many external and internal factors that impact the quality of professional services we can deliver. And individually as professionals, our knowledge, skills, experiences and biases very much shape how we operate. 

Having spent the first 12 years of my ‘sports physiotherapy’ career working in and owning a ‘standard’ private practice clinic. Limited by 30min back-to-back consultations, a small clinic gym and rehab needing to be executed away from me (either with someone else or on their own) - A model where-by time and cost limited the ability to fully execute what is truly needed in sports injury management and long-term rehab – education, testing, hands-on treatment, rehab plans, detailed programs, support and coaching.

At the same time as having this clinic, like most sports physios, I was off working with different teams. Pending the sport program and the resources it has around it, in this space sports physios get to truly thrive. Being able to see our athletes and rehabs much more frequently, having the time to be able to program comprehensive and detailed rehab sessions, communicate to all stakeholders, needing to have a clear return to sport plan and being able to coach your athletes in the gym or at field.

An environment where-by the quality of the rehab service is significantly better, the outcomes are better - returning to higher levels of strength and function, often much more efficiently. I’m a big believer that this more optimal model should be available to everyone, not just elite athletes, because it results in much better outcomes and everyone deserves access to that. 

Now I know, I am far from the first sports physio to have found themselves in this situation. Whereby, our ability to provide a quality professional service in the private sector comes with so many more barriers and restrictions to the sporting environment. Excitingly, it is exactly this that is driving the ‘Performance Rehab’ models linked to Athlete Development Programs – the private sector providing high-performance sports services, pushing to change the status quo and drive the industry forward.

Now this is why I wanted to open Rehab Advantage! 

Having tried and tested the different models and motivated by my passion to chase the delivery of the optimal rehabilitation service (and make it accessible to all). A sports physiotherapy and rehab facility that by design, gives all long-term rehabs access to unlimited support, sports physio consultations, a rehab gym, detailed plans and programs, coached gym and field sessions, and access to recovery and rehab resources that optimise the journey and the outcome.

Rehab Advantage will endeavour to operate with the standards of providing true high-quality sports physiotherapy services. Being specialists in the diagnosis, treatment, management and prevention of acute injuries resulting from sport and exercise participation. With a mentality to constantly learn, grow and challenge our skillsets in managing injuries from diagnosis to returning to performance or full fitness to optimise outcomes for all.

Now I know I am biased, but if you are injured and recovering from a long-term injury – it is time that you seek and expect this level of service and support in your injury management and rehab.

And then someone asked, ‘KB a blog? Who are you?’

Possibly the least outspoken person in the room, I do think it’s also time to have a little voice. Those who know me, know that my drive for the sports physio profession extends much further with me wanting to help lead by example and shape the career path of young physios.

Setting the standards of services, assisting in professional development and mentoring. We need to develop a model that improves renumeration structures, work-life balance, and longevity in our profession and this needs to be driven by senior physios and business owners. It’s our responsibility to keep the legacy and quality of the sports physiotherapy profession going for generations to come!

The ‘Sports Physio Advantage’ blog is my little voice and is hopefully going to add a small contribution to all of this. Follow along for all things sports physio, injury rehab, small business management, and the journey of Rehab Advantage.

Regards,
KB