Certified Athletic Therapists are best known for their quick-thinking on-field emergency care of professional and elite athletes. The first to respond when someone gets hurt, they are experts at injury assessment and rehabilitation. It’s that same mix of on-site care and active rehabilitation skills that makes Athletic Therapists so effective in treating the musculoskeletal (muscles, bones, and joints) injuries of all athletes, whether on the field or in the clinic. Athletic therapists adhere to the Sports Medicine Model of care. They treat a wide range of patients, from kids with concussions to seniors recovering from hip replacement surgery, using various manual therapies, modalities, exercise prescription and even bracing and taping. The treatment varies but the objective doesn’t: An Athletic Therapist's goal is to help clients return to their usual activities, whether that means playing competitive sports or walking to the mailbox and back. Certified Athletic Therapists can be recognized by the credential CAT(C).

The first appointment is an assessment. For both Personal Training and Athletic Therapy, the assessments are 60 minutes in length and require you to bring shorts, tank top/t-shirt and running shoes. Personal training: An in-depth sit-down interview to discuss lifestyle, goals, and injury history, followed by a movement screening. This assessment will be the basis of your exercise program. Athletic Therapy: The assessment is a holistic approach that encompasses lifestyle, mechanism of injury, and a full body approach to understand the injury in an in-depth manner. It begins with a sit-down interview to discuss injury history, pertinent injury questions, lifestyle, and much more. This is followed by a thorough assessment of the injured body part as well other pertinent areas of the body.

AT treatments will vary depending on the individual. They can involve manual therapy techniques, such as facial stretch therapy (FST), massage and joint mobilizations, stretching, exercises, as well as the use of electrotherapeutic modalities such as ultrasound and laser.

Yes! The providers below cover Athletic Therapy, but we recommend calling your insurance to confirm coverage before receiving treatment. Please note this list is not comprehensive: o Great West Life o Standard Life o Blue Cross o Hockey Canada o Desjardin o Claim Secure o Sun Life o Reliable Life Insurance Co. o Manulife o Empire Life o Greenshield

No. You do not need any referrals to see an Athletic Therapist.

Athletic Therapists are certified first responders and are trained for emergency situations. Athletic Therapist are also musculoskeletal injury specialists (muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, etc.) and thus they focus on the assessment and management of musculoskeletal injuries. Whereas physiotherapists are not certified first responders, they are better suited to assess and manage respiratory, cardiovascular and/or major neurological conditions.

Yes! You do not need to consider yourself an athlete to see an Athletic Therapist. Anyone with a musculoskeletal injury can be assessed and treated by an Athletic Therapist.

This depends on your exact location and your needs. You may be able to receive in-home Personal Training and Athletic Therapy treatments or we can arrange sessions at Philosophy Fitness at 575 St Clair Ave West in Toronto, Ontario. For more information contact us at abel@abel-at.com.

Rates range from $100-$150/hour, depending on services required, location, and session packages. Contact us at abel@abel-at.com for more information.