You do not have to be a professional athlete to need sports-level rehabilitation. If running, lifting, dance, yoga, hiking, recreational sport, or simply staying strong is part of your life, your physical therapy should account for the demands you actually want to return to - not stop at basic daily function.
Steady Physical Therapy & Performance provides one-on-one, out-of-network physical therapy in San Francisco for active adults who want a detailed evaluation, hands-on care when appropriate, and a progressive strength-based plan. Sessions take place inside a private gym setting, which allows treatment to move naturally from the table to the floor, the rack, the treadmill, and the movements that matter to you.
Steady Physical Therapy & Performance provides one-on-one, out-of-network physical therapy in San Francisco for active adults who want a detailed evaluation, hands-on care when appropriate, and a progressive strength-based plan. Sessions take place inside a private gym setting, which allows treatment to move naturally from the table to the floor, the rack, the treadmill, and the movements that matter to you.
Who sports physical therapy is for
Sports physical therapy is appropriate for more than acute injuries. Many patients come in because a familiar pain keeps returning, because they have plateaued with a home exercise program, or because they can function day to day but cannot train with confidence. Others are preparing for a race, returning from surgery, rebuilding after pregnancy, or trying to understand why a specific movement continues to feel limited.
- Runners managing knee, hip, foot, ankle, calf, Achilles, hamstring, or low-back symptoms
- Strength athletes with pain during squats, deadlifts, presses, pull-ups, kettlebell work, or Olympic lifting
- Dancers and performers navigating the demands of turnout, pointe work, jumps, floor work, and repeated end-range positions
- Yoga practitioners with shoulder, wrist, hip, hamstring, or spinal symptoms, including concerns related to hypermobility
- Adults returning to activity after orthopedic surgery, a period of reduced training, or a recurring overuse injury
- People who have completed basic rehabilitation but do not yet feel ready for full-speed, full-load, or unpredictable activity
The goal is not to find one “bad” muscle or one perfect movement pattern
Pain and injury rarely come down to a single weak muscle, tight tissue, or imperfect posture. A meaningful evaluation looks at the full context: what changed in training, how symptoms behave under different loads, which movements are limited, which capacities are underdeveloped, and whether sleep, recovery, nutrition, stress, footwear, equipment, or work demands are influencing the picture.
Movement matters, but movement is not graded by appearance alone. The same squat, running stride, or yoga position may be appropriate for one person and poorly tolerated by another depending on load, speed, fatigue, prior injury, available range of motion, and current tissue capacity. The aim is to identify which variables are actually relevant to your symptoms and which are harmless differences that do not need to be “corrected."
Movement matters, but movement is not graded by appearance alone. The same squat, running stride, or yoga position may be appropriate for one person and poorly tolerated by another depending on load, speed, fatigue, prior injury, available range of motion, and current tissue capacity. The aim is to identify which variables are actually relevant to your symptoms and which are harmless differences that do not need to be “corrected."
What a sports physical therapy evaluation includes
Your first visit begins with a detailed history. We discuss the onset and behavior of your symptoms, your training background, prior injuries, current goals, and what you have already tried. The physical examination is then tailored to your presentation rather than built around a fixed checklist.
- Joint mobility and range of motion when relevant
- Strength, endurance, power, and side-to-side capacity
- Balance, coordination, and neuromuscular control
- Movement under realistic load, speed, and fatigue
- Sport- or activity-specific tasks such as running, jumping, squatting, hinging, pressing, or dance positions
- Screening for signs that warrant imaging, medical referral, or co-management with another clinician
How treatment is structured
1. Reduce irritability without unnecessary shutdown
Early treatment may include temporary changes to volume, intensity, range, speed, terrain, or exercise selection. The goal is not automatically complete rest. It is to find the highest level of activity you can tolerate while giving the irritated area enough room to recover.
2. Restore options
Manual therapy, mobility work, breathing strategies, and neuromuscular re-education may be used to improve comfort or access to movement. These interventions are most useful when they create a window for better loading and practice - not when they become the entire plan.
3. Build measurable capacity
Strength and conditioning principles are integrated into rehabilitation. Depending on your goals, that may mean progressive tendon loading, heavy strength work, power development, single-leg control, plyometrics, running intervals, or gradually reintroducing the exact lift, pose, or skill that has been limited.
4. Return to performance
Being pain-free during a basic exercise does not necessarily mean you are ready for a long run, a heavy training day, repeated jumps, or an entire class. Return-to-sport decisions should account for workload, fatigue, confidence, and the ability to repeat a task - not just perform it once in the clinic.
Early treatment may include temporary changes to volume, intensity, range, speed, terrain, or exercise selection. The goal is not automatically complete rest. It is to find the highest level of activity you can tolerate while giving the irritated area enough room to recover.
2. Restore options
Manual therapy, mobility work, breathing strategies, and neuromuscular re-education may be used to improve comfort or access to movement. These interventions are most useful when they create a window for better loading and practice - not when they become the entire plan.
3. Build measurable capacity
Strength and conditioning principles are integrated into rehabilitation. Depending on your goals, that may mean progressive tendon loading, heavy strength work, power development, single-leg control, plyometrics, running intervals, or gradually reintroducing the exact lift, pose, or skill that has been limited.
4. Return to performance
Being pain-free during a basic exercise does not necessarily mean you are ready for a long run, a heavy training day, repeated jumps, or an entire class. Return-to-sport decisions should account for workload, fatigue, confidence, and the ability to repeat a task - not just perform it once in the clinic.
Conditions commonly treated
Steady treats a wide range of orthopedic and sports-related concerns involving the spine, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, foot, and ankle. Common presentations include tendon pain, muscle strains, ligament sprains, joint irritation, post-operative recovery, overuse injuries, recurrent symptoms, and movement or performance limitations that have persisted despite prior care.
A diagnosis can be useful, but care is not reduced to the diagnosis. Two people with the same MRI finding may have very different symptoms, training histories, and rehabilitation needs. Treatment is based on your current presentation and goals, with referral for further medical evaluation when the clinical picture suggests it is needed.
A diagnosis can be useful, but care is not reduced to the diagnosis. Two people with the same MRI finding may have very different symptoms, training histories, and rehabilitation needs. Treatment is based on your current presentation and goals, with referral for further medical evaluation when the clinical picture suggests it is needed.
Why patients choose Steady
- One-on-one sessions with a physical therapist - no handoff to aides or overlapping appointments
- A private gym environment that supports both hands-on treatment and higher-level rehabilitation
- A strength and performance perspective for people who want to return to demanding activity
- Experience working with active adults as well as professional, Olympic, collegiate, and performing artists
- An individualized plan that considers the whole training picture rather than a generic protocol
- Out-of-network care with superbills available for patients who wish to seek reimbursement from their insurance plan
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral?
California allows direct access to physical therapy within defined limits. Some insurance plans may still require a referral for out-of-network reimbursement, so it is worth checking your plan. Steady can also coordinate with your physician or other healthcare providers when appropriate.
Do I have to stop exercising before I come in?
Not necessarily. Unless you have been advised to stop by a medical professional or are experiencing concerning symptoms, it is often helpful to see how the problem behaves during your normal activity. We can then make more specific modifications instead of defaulting to total rest.
What should I wear?
Wear clothing that allows the area to be examined and lets you move comfortably. Bring the shoes, braces, dance shoes, lifting belt, or other equipment connected to the activity you want assessed.
How many visits will I need?
The number and frequency of visits depend on the condition, its irritability, your goals, and how independently you can progress between sessions. The plan should be reassessed as your function changes rather than set by a one-size-fits-all package.
Ready to understand what is limiting your training? Schedule a one-on-one physical therapy evaluation with Dr. Susie Lunardi, PT, DPT, CSCS at Steady Physical Therapy & Performance in San Francisco.
California allows direct access to physical therapy within defined limits. Some insurance plans may still require a referral for out-of-network reimbursement, so it is worth checking your plan. Steady can also coordinate with your physician or other healthcare providers when appropriate.
Do I have to stop exercising before I come in?
Not necessarily. Unless you have been advised to stop by a medical professional or are experiencing concerning symptoms, it is often helpful to see how the problem behaves during your normal activity. We can then make more specific modifications instead of defaulting to total rest.
What should I wear?
Wear clothing that allows the area to be examined and lets you move comfortably. Bring the shoes, braces, dance shoes, lifting belt, or other equipment connected to the activity you want assessed.
How many visits will I need?
The number and frequency of visits depend on the condition, its irritability, your goals, and how independently you can progress between sessions. The plan should be reassessed as your function changes rather than set by a one-size-fits-all package.
Ready to understand what is limiting your training? Schedule a one-on-one physical therapy evaluation with Dr. Susie Lunardi, PT, DPT, CSCS at Steady Physical Therapy & Performance in San Francisco.
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Located inside:
Back to Sports - Fitness & Therapy 693 Monterey Blvd. San Francisco, CA 94127 (415) 484 - 3446 Dr. Susie Lunardi, PT, DPT [email protected] |
Saturday - call to schedule
Wed/Fri - book directly online, 9:00am - 5:00pm PST |