Approach/Philosophy

  • Physical Therapy is one of the most critical components of successful sports medicine care. Our team collaborates with top physical therapists from around the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area, the U.S., and major cities in Europe and around the globe.
  • By tailoring protocols and plans of care to each individual, physical therapy can control swelling, improve motion and flexibility, progressively strengthen and optimize function. The vast majority of conditions we treat are successfully managed without surgery. A collaborative relationship between patient, surgeon, and therapist is essential for the best possible outcome.
Rudzki, physical therapy

Gait Analysis

With the use of iPads, cameras, and video imaging equipment, our therapists offer a comprehensive analysis of the gait cycle to identify areas of weakness and lack of flexibility which can then benefit from a tailored treatment protocol.

SMART THERAPY K St. – Cristin

SMART THERAPY Sibley – Brian

Rudzki Gait Analysis

Return to Sport Protocols

One of our greatest passions and goals is to enhance the coordination of return to sport for athletes after an injury or surgery. Previously, the typical paradigm of athlete
recovery involved medical/surgical acute care followed by physiotherapy and then being “cleared” for return to play with instructions to “start slowly” or take it “easy at first”. Over the past two years, we have worked closely with elite hockey coaches, athletic trainers, and physical therapists to develop progressive return to sport protocols similar to those we use with our professional athletes. This has been incredibly rewarding for several reasons:

  • Lower rates of re-injury
  • Higher rates of successful return to pre-injury performance
  • More positive rehabilitation experience
  • Athlete is more prepared to excel upon return with less apprehension about contact or recurrent injury
  • To achieve these goals, we focus heavily on active rehabilitation to optimize core strength, minimize loss of cardiovascular endurance, enhance flexibility and progressively strengthen while incorporating sport-specific exercises collaboratively with the surgeon, patient, therapist, coach, and trainer working toward a common goal.
  • Ice Hockey – Paul Fritz & ToughIt Training
  • Golf – Smart Therapy & Peak Golf Fitness – Return to golf after shoulder surgery or other injuries requires careful attention to not only swing mechanics, but core strength, flexibility, tempo, and kinetic chain motion restoration. Our team understands these considerations and works with talented experts to help patients get back to their game.
  • Football, Lacrosse, Soccer
Discoid lateral meniscus, arthroscopic surgery, ice hockey, lacrosse, return to play, Rudzki