girl fit
Physical Therapy for Performing Arts Athletes
At Girl Fit Physical Therapy, we provide specialized physical therapy for performing arts athletes, including dancers, gymnasts, rhythmic gymnasts, figure skaters, and synchronized figure skaters. These athletes place unique demands on their bodies, requiring strength, flexibility, control, artistry, and precision—all while training and performing at high levels.
Our performing arts sports medicine approach is designed to help athletes recover from injury, reduce pain, prevent recurrence, and return to training and performance stronger, more confident, and more resilient.
Performing Arts Conditions We Treat
Girl Fit Physical Therapy treats a wide range of orthopedic and sports medicine conditions commonly seen in performing arts athletes, with a strong focus on the unique biomechanics and overuse patterns associated with dance, gymnastics, and skating.
Foot & Ankle Injuries
- Ankle sprains and instability
- Achilles tendon pain
- FHL tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Stress reactions and bone stress injuries
Knee & Hip Injuries
- Patellofemoral pain
- ACL injuries and post-surgical rehabilitation
- Hip flexor strains
- Labral injuries
- Hip pain related to turnout, jumping, and landing mechanics
Spine & Core Conditions
- Low back pain
- Spondylolysis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Core weakness and control deficits
- Extension-based spine injuries common in dance and gymnastics
Upper Extremity Injuries
- Shoulder pain and instability
- Elbow injuries
- Gymnast wrist
Pediatric & Adolescent Performing Arts Injuries
- Growth plate injuries
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Sever’s disease
- Hypermobility and joint instability
- Overuse injuries related to rapid growth and high training volume
What Performing Arts Athletes Say
“Girl Fit Physical Therapy was incredible for my dancer. The therapists truly understood the demands of dance and helped her return to class stronger, more confident, and pain-free.” — Google Review
“As a gymnast, this was the first place that really ‘got it.’ They understood overuse injuries, growth-related pain, and how important it was to return safely without losing strength or skills.” — Google Review
“The team’s experience with figure skating made all the difference. The care was thoughtful, sport-specific, and focused on long-term health—not just getting back on the ice.” — Google Review
Our Performing Arts Sports Medicine Approach
Performing arts athletes require a different approach than traditional field or court sport athletes. At Girl Fit Physical Therapy, we focus on movement quality, control, alignment, and sport-specific demands to ensure safe and effective rehabilitation.
Treatment may include:
- Individualized physical therapy focused on technique and control
- Strength and conditioning for jumps, turns, lifts, and landings
- Flexibility and mobility training appropriate for the athlete’s discipline
- Core and pelvic stability training
- Progressive return-to-performance programming
- Education on load management, recovery, and injury prevention
Our Team’s Experience with Performing Arts Athletes
Girl Fit Physical Therapy’s team brings a unique depth of experience to caring for performing arts athletes. Our physical therapists have extensive backgrounds working with and participating in dance, gymnastics, and figure skating, and have supported athletes at recreational, competitive, and elite levels.
Our experience extends beyond the clinic. Members of our team have traveled with the U.S. Figure Skating medical team, provided physical therapy coverage at international competitions, and supported athletes at major events including the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston. Our therapists have also worked backstage while touring with Broadway shows, caring for performers through demanding rehearsal schedules and live performances.
This firsthand experience allows us to understand the realities of training, travel, performance schedules, and the physical and mental demands placed on performing arts athletes. By combining this real-world perspective with evidence-based care, we design rehabilitation and return-to-performance programs that respect each discipline’s artistry while prioritizing long-term health, durability, and confidence.
