Sports Injuries Don't Resolve Themselves
You pushed hard, something gave way, and now you're sidelined. Or maybe it wasn't a single moment: it's been a slow build of tightness, pain on exertion, and a nagging sense that your body isn't moving the way it should.
The default advice is rest. But rest alone doesn't fix a muscle imbalance, address the mechanics that caused the injury, or get you back to the demands of your sport. Without the right rehabilitation, the same injury tends to come back, often worse.
You want to compete, train, or just move without bracing for pain. That takes more than ice and time off.
What Sports Physiotherapy Actually Does
Sports physiotherapy focuses on restoring function, movement quality, and performance capacity after injury, not just relieving symptoms. A good sports physio assessment looks at how your whole body is moving: the mechanics that contributed to the injury, the structures that were affected, and the load your body needs to handle to return to your sport safely.
Treatment combines manual therapy to restore mobility and tissue quality, targeted exercise to rebuild strength and motor control, and education so you understand what happened and how to prevent it. Dry needling and intramuscular stimulation (IMS) are additional tools that can accelerate recovery in stubborn soft tissue and neuromuscular cases.
A Team That Has Played, Trained, and Competed
Sports physiotherapy is most effective when your physiotherapist actually understands the demands of athletic movement. At Ignite, Alyda and Peter both bring firsthand athletic experience alongside their clinical credentials.
Alyda Bauhuis, MScPT, BSc(Kin), started athletic training at age 15, working with varsity and community teams across football, soccer, rowing, track and field, and basketball. She holds a black belt in competitive martial arts and is still active in hockey and gym training. Her clinical work reflects that background: she treats high-performance and recreational athletes alike, with a focus on mechanics, longevity, and getting back to full performance, not just pain-free movement.
Peter Yee, MScPT, MSc(Kin), IMS, CSEP-CEP/HP, ran track and field at the University of Saskatchewan and served as a trainer with the varsity sports medicine team while completing his Master's in neuromuscular physiology. His IMS certification and CSEP High Performance designation make him particularly well-suited for athletes dealing with nerve-related pain, complex soft tissue injuries, or performance plateaus that have a physiological root.
Jill Saban, MScPT, BPE, rounds out the team with a BPE and five years of competitive university basketball. Her SFMA certification brings a whole-body movement lens to sports injury assessment that most clinics don't offer.
Sessions are one-on-one, 45 to 60 minutes, with your physiotherapist the entire time.
What to Expect at Your Sports Physio Assessment
Step 1: Movement and Injury Assessment
Step 2: A Plan Built Around Your Sport
Step 3: Return to Sport
What Athletes Get Out of Physio Done Right
Patients who engage in sports physiotherapy at Ignite typically experience:
- Faster return to sport with a lower risk of re-injury, because the root cause is addressed, not just the symptom
- Improved movement quality and performance capacity beyond their pre-injury baseline
- A team who can communicate with coaches, trainers, or other healthcare providers if your case involves multiple stakeholders
Physiotherapy
Experience personalized physiotherapy treatments designed to address your unique needs and goals. Our expert therapists utilize hands-on techniques like joint mobilization, dry needling, and soft tissue manipulation to alleviate pain and restore mobility. Tailored exercise programs enhance strength, flexibility, and balance, as well aid in pain relief and tissue healing. Empower yourself with education on proper body mechanics and self-management strategies for long-term wellness. Book your session now to embark on a journey towards improved mobility and overall well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Physiotherapy
No. Alberta residents can access physiotherapy directly without a physician's referral. You can book your sports physio assessment at Ignite online at any time.
We treat a wide range of sports and athletic injuries: ankle sprains, ACL and ligament injuries, shoulder impingement, rotator cuff strains, runner's knee and IT band syndrome, tennis and golfer's elbow, hamstring and hip flexor strains, stress fractures, and return-to-sport rehab after surgery. If you're unsure whether your injury is a fit, book an assessment and we'll tell you.
Both use a thin filament needle inserted into soft tissue, but IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation) specifically targets shortened muscle bands and nerve-related pain based on a neurological assessment model. Peter is IMS certified; Jill holds Kinetacore dry needling certification. Your physiotherapist will determine which approach is appropriate for your presentation.
Yes. Post-surgical sports rehab is one of the most common reasons athletes come to Ignite. We coordinate with your surgeon's protocol and progress your rehabilitation based on tissue healing timelines and functional milestones, not just calendar dates.
Yes. Peter and Alyda both have experience with youth and pediatric populations, including sports injuries in growing athletes.
Ready to Get Back to Your Sport?
Ignite Physiotherapy - Windermere
302 - 316 Windermere Rd NW,Edmonton, AB
T6W 2Z8 View Staff & Treatments
