Tidal Sports Therapy

What is Athletic Therapy

Certified Athletic Therapist’s (AT) are experts at injury assessment and rehabilitation. They are fluent in exercise physiology, biomechanics, and treatment in the musculoskeletal system (muscles, bones and joints).

Certified members are trained to treat a wide range of conditions (bursitis, shoulder/knee/hip replacements, ACL tears, TMJ, concussions, muscle strains and sprains, pre-post surgical procedures, impingement, etc…). Athletic Therapists are able to use a variety of different modalities (TENS, Ultrasound), hands on treatment (soft tissue release, trigger point therapy), supportive taping and bracing, and exercise prescription.

Certified Athletic Therapist can be found out on the field when they aren’t present in the clinic. As most Athletic Therapists are trained as Professional Emergency Responders, it has allowed them to assess and identify conditions right away. With understanding how the injury is formed, AT’s understand how to get athletes and patients from acute stage of healing to a return to play/work stage.

Athletic Therapy is not covered by all insurance companies. If you are seeing a therapist but you are not covered by your work's insurance plan, please visit the link below to request Athletic Therapy Coverage to your insurance company.

Request Athletic Therapy Coverage

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What is the difference between Athletic Therapy and Physiotherapy

Many people hear the words 'Athletic Therapy' and think that you have to be an athlete to see an athletic therapists, but athletic therapy is for everyone. The other thing that Athletic therapy is often confused with is physiotherapy, however there are some significant differences between the two scopes of practice.

Throughout a 4-year bachelor degree, Athletic Therapists specialize in the prevention, immediate care, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries (bones, muscles, joints) especially as they relate to athletics and the pursuit of physical activity. Prevention of individuals involves prophylactic and supportive taping, postural evaluations, equipment fitting, musculoskeletal functional evaluation, and patient specific conditioning programs.

Athletic Therapists are trained in emergency first response for immediate care of an individual and provide an in depth assessment of both acute and chronic injuries for optimal rehabilitation. Rehabilitation techniques consist of primarily manual therapy as well as instrument-assisted therapy, therapeutic modalities and physical reconditioning.

Physiotherapists are health care professionals that aim to achieve and maintain optimal health outcomes with their clients. They gain a wider scope of practice throughout a 2 year Masters Degree, which includes orthopedics, cardio-respiratory rehab, pediatrics, geriatrics, stroke rehab, and neurological disorders. Usually physiotherapists will take continuing education to expand on an area of interest once graduated.

Athletic Therapists and Physiotherapists are two distinct professional designations with different training approaches and scope of practice, but a lot of time treatment outcomes and techniques are similar.

Quote from Kiyomi Thompson, original website

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is one of the longest outstanding practices in our world today. It continues in popularity in treating muscles, connective tissue, joints, systemic condition for optimizing patient health. It can be treated as a restoration or a therapeutic treatment in the young, old and active. As often as it is used to treat illnesses and conditions, it should not be overlooked as a moment of relaxation to help with your nervous system.

At Tidal Sports Therapy, we understand athletes and their need to train harder. With having a beneficial knowledge of Athletic Therapy, we can help understand your needs for restoration faster than a traditional massage therapist.

Are you uncomfortable being treated with sheets? No problem! Massage therapy can be changed for the patients comfort and approach to healing by using manual therapy techniques, stretching and remedial exercise.

If you do not have Athletic Therapy benefits but are interested in an active rehabilitation program, no problem. See what massage therapy can do for you.

Meet our Team

Ellexis Lathan is a Certified Athletic Therapist and a Registered Massage Therapist. She completed her Personal Training Diploma in 2013 at Northern Alberta Institute and Technology to play competitive badminton. Ellexis then travelled to Brampton, ON to complete her degree in Applied Health Science at Sheridan College in 2018. She found success in working for Ontario BMX, interning at Saskatchewan RoughRider and Ottawa REDBLACKS training camps, Ontario Cycling, Durham Rugby and University of Ontario Technology Women’s Soccer. Across Ontario, she has helped out with various high school teams and has seen competitive athletes to your weekend warriors. Being involved with many competitive teams growing up, Ellexis is able to have a solid understanding of human movement. She is able to make her patients treatment plans relatable and effective to their unique demands of sport or return to work activities. She is currently pursuing her Canadian Sport Massage Certification.

When she is not in the clinic, Ellexis can be found volunteering her time at local and national sporting events, biking the trails, or cross country skiing with her dog Henry.