Sports Rehabilitation in Antalya | Esra Kama Physiotherapy

What Is Sports Rehabilitation?

Sports rehabilitation is a specialized physiotherapy approach designed to restore athletes' functional capacity after injury and rebuild their performance. It differs from classical physiotherapy by placing sport-specific movement patterns, speed and strength demands, and re-injury risk at the center. I work with both amateur and professional athletes in my clinic. Every program is personalized to the biomechanical load of the sport, the type of injury, and the target performance level.

Who Can Benefit?

Athletes after ACL reconstruction
Patients with meniscus tears or post-meniscus surgery
Athletes with shoulder, elbow, or wrist injuries
Runners with Achilles or patellar tendinopathy
Those with chronic sports injuries (tennis elbow, jumper's knee)
Athletes returning from a stress fracture
Athletes with an injury history who want to prevent recurrence
Active people looking to take performance to the next level

Techniques Used

Manual Therapy and Joint Mobilization

Maitland and Mulligan techniques restore range of motion and release soft-tissue restrictions.

Progressive Strength Training

A graded program that moves from isometric contractions to heavy resistance, safely loading the injured region.

Plyometrics and Proprioception

Balance, reaction, and landing mechanics are re-taught. Wobble board, BOSU and double-to-single-leg progressions are used.

Sport-Specific Movement Patterns

Running, change of direction, cutting, and sprint-stop drills are added to rehab in a controlled way.

Performance Testing

Hop tests, Y-Balance and isokinetic strength measurement verify symmetry vs. the healthy side before return-to-sport.

How the Process Works

The process runs in five phases. Phase 1 (0–2 weeks) controls pain and swelling and preserves basic range of motion. Phase 2 (2–6 weeks) begins foundational strength and stability work. Phase 3 (6–12 weeks) moves the athlete from walking to running and from static exercise to plyometrics. Phase 4 (3–6 months) adds sport-specific drills, change of direction, agility and acceleration-deceleration. Phase 5 (6–9 months) plans the return to team training and controlled match play after passing objective tests. Skipping phases significantly increases re-injury risk — that's why we don't advance without measurable criteria.

What You Gain

Safe return to pre-injury performance level
Significant reduction in re-injury risk
A stronger core and kinetic chain
Improved sport-specific movement quality
Pain managed, chronicity prevented
Restored mental confidence, reduced fear
Faster recovery and informed load management
Long-term injury-prevention strategies

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I return to my sport after ACL surgery?

On average 6–9 months, but this is not a fixed timeline. Return decisions are based on strength symmetry, hop tests and athlete confidence scales. Early return substantially raises re-tear risk — so we track measurements, not the calendar.

Can I rehabilitate without surgery?

In some cases, yes. For meniscus tears, partial ACL tears, and tendon injuries, conservative treatment is often the first option. We assess your condition in the first session and decide together with an orthopedist whether surgery is needed.

How many sessions per week are needed?

During the acute phase, 2–3 sessions per week is ideal. Later it drops to 1–2 as you gain the capacity to train independently. Total duration is usually 3–9 months depending on injury type.

Let's build the right plan for you

In the evaluation session we listen to your complaint, examine you, and draw up a personalized roadmap.

Sports Rehabilitation