Paediatric Sports & Orthopaedic Physiotherapy: Helping Kids Get Back to What They Love

When most people think of paediatric physiotherapy, they often think of babies with developmental delays or children with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy. While these are an important part of what we do, paediatric physiotherapy also plays a key role in treating sports injuries, orthopedic conditions, and everyday aches and pains in growing children and teens.

Whether your child sprained their ankle during soccer, developed knee pain from gymnastics, is recovering from a fracture, or has neck pain from long hours at school, our physiotherapists at All About Physiotherapy Performance Centre are here to help them return safely to the activities they love.

What Is Paediatric Orthopaedic Physiotherapy?

Orthopaedic physiotherapy focuses on conditions affecting the muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.

Children and adolescents are constantly growing, making them more susceptible to certain injuries and overuse conditions. Early assessment and treatment can help reduce pain, restore movement, and prevent small problems from becoming larger ones.

Common Conditions We Treat

Our physiotherapists regularly treat children and teens experiencing:

• Sports injuries
• Ankle sprains
• Knee pain
• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Runner’s Knee)
• Hip pain
• Low back pain
• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Growth-related injuries
• Muscle strains
• Ligament sprains
• Fractures and post-fracture rehabilitation
• Joint dislocations
• Concussions
• Headaches
• Nerve injuries
• Brachial plexus injuries
• Generalized muscle weakness
• Postural concerns
• Diastasis recti
• And many other musculoskeletal conditions

What Happens During the Initial Assessment?

Every child begins with a comprehensive physiotherapy assessment.

Your physiotherapist will discuss:

• How the injury occurred
• Your child’s symptoms
• Medical history
• Sports and activity level
• Functional goals
• Previous injuries

Next, a physical examination is completed to assess:

• Strength
• Flexibility
• Joint mobility
• Balance
• Coordination
• Walking and running mechanics
• Functional movement patterns
• Areas of pain or restriction

Rather than simply treating the area that hurts, we identify the underlying cause of the injury so we can develop a treatment plan that supports long-term recovery and helps reduce the risk of future injuries.

Individualized Treatment Plans

Every child receives a treatment plan tailored to their age, injury, goals, and activity level.

Treatment may include:

• Hands-on manual therapy
• Joint mobilizations
• Soft tissue treatment
• Therapeutic exercise
• Strengthening
• Balance and coordination training
• Movement retraining
• Return-to-sport progression
• Home exercise program
• Injury prevention education

Our goal is not only to relieve pain but also to help children move better and return confidently to school, sports, and everyday activities.

What Makes All About Physiotherapy Performance Centre Different?

One of the things that makes our clinic unique is our specialized exercise equipment, including our therapeutic TheraSuit Cage—often referred to by our younger patients as “the cage.”

Using a combination of pulleys, bungees, and body-weight support, our physiotherapists can isolate specific muscle groups while helping children maintain proper alignment throughout movement.

This allows us to:

• Improve strength
• Enhance balance
• Promote better movement patterns
• Build confidence during rehabilitation
• Progress exercises safely

While this equipment is commonly used for children with neurological conditions, it can also be extremely beneficial for children recovering from orthopedic injuries by allowing exercises to be modified to match their abilities.

Supporting Recovery with Additional Treatment Options

Depending on your child’s condition, treatment may also include complementary services such as registered massage therapy or Acupuncture as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program.

Our physiotherapists will recommend the most appropriate combination of treatments based on your child’s individual needs and goals.

When Should My Child See a Physiotherapist?

Consider booking an assessment if your child:

• Has pain lasting longer than a few days
• Has difficulty participating in sports
• Is limping
• Has repeated injuries
• Has reduced strength or flexibility
• Is recovering from a fracture or surgery
• Has persistent neck or back pain
• Wants to safely return to sport after an injury

Early treatment often leads to faster recovery and helps prevent compensatory movement patterns from developing.

Book a Paediatric Physiotherapy Assessment

Whether your child is recovering from a sports injury, dealing with ongoing pain, or returning to activity after an injury, our team is here to help.

At All About Physiotherapy Performance Centre, we provide individualized paediatric physiotherapy programs designed to restore movement, build strength, and help children return to doing what they love.

If you’re looking for additional appointment availability, our sister clinic, All About Kids Rehabilitation Centre, also offers specialized paediatric physiotherapy services for infants, children, and teens.

Visit One of Our Clinics

All About Physiotherapy Performance Centre
577 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Unit 1
Etobicoke, ON M9C 2Y3

All About Kids Rehabilitation Centre
3413 Wolfedale Road, Unit 1
Mississauga, ON L5C 1V8