Reduce Pain
Your first visit is a full evaluation with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, who works out what's actually driving your symptoms. From there, manual therapy, dry needling, myofascial release, and targeted movement work bring the pain down.
Sports Injuries
One-on-one care with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, with your return to play guided by how you progress rather than a fixed timeline.
- A one-on-one assessment with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, never a technician or an aide
- Strength, balance, and conditioning progressed around what your sport asks of you
- Sport-specific drills and testing before you go back to full practice
We treat sprains, strains, tendon problems, and the aches that build up over a season. Your first visit works out what is injured, how it happened, and what you need to get back to playing. Most patients feel some relief after that first session.
- Five-star reviews
- 150
- With a Doctor of Physical Therapy, every visit
- 1-on-1
- athletes trust us
- PGA · WTA · MLB · NFL
What causes Sports Injuries?
Sports injuries usually come from a single incident, like a bad landing or a tackle, or from training that increases faster than the body adapts to it. Either way, the painful area is often not the source. A stiff ankle changes how the knee lands, and treating only the sore spot is why the same injury keeps coming back.
How we build your plan around your injury
Sprains, strains, dislocations, and impact injuries need time to heal. Early treatment protects the injured tissue while keeping the joint moving, then adds load as the tissue can handle it.
What a course of care looks like
A full one-on-one evaluation with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We test how the injury responds to load, check whether other joints or muscles are contributing to it, and talk through what you need to be able to do to get back to your sport. You leave knowing what we found and what the plan is.
What our patients say
From post-surgical recovery to competitive golf, here's what patients say about working with our doctors.
Diane White
Patient
Back to the activities I love, pain-free.
Our approach
A four-phase plan that starts with getting you out of pain and keeps going for as long as you want to keep progressing.
Restore Mobility & Flexibility
Reducing pain doesn't automatically mean you start moving well. Before we load anything, we restore the motion you're missing. Through joint mobilization, soft tissue work, and targeted movement and stretching, we address the restrictions contributing to the problem. This is where most people start noticing they can reach, turn, walk, or sleep normally again.
Build Foundational Strength
Once you can move comfortably, we build strength and resilience around the areas that contributed to the problem in the first place. The goal is simple: build the strength your daily life, work, or sport actually asks of you.
Perform
Your goal sets the finish line. Maybe that's getting through a full day without thinking about your body, playing with your grandkids, walking 18 holes, getting back on the court, or competing at your highest level. We build toward whatever your version of performance looks like.
Mobility
Strength
Be You Again
Why patients choose Florida Physio
Three things that shape every sports injuries plan we build.
Always A Doctor, Always One-On-One
Every visit is with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We don't use technicians, assistants, or interns.
A Whole-Body Assessment Comes First
Every plan starts with a full movement assessment. The roots of sports injuries often trace back to how the joints above and below it are working, so that is where we start looking.
Care That Continues Past Pain-Free
Getting out of pain is where most clinics stop. Plenty of our patients carry on into strength, power, and sport, in person or through the Florida Physio app.
Who you'll be working with
Every visit is one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We don't use technicians, assistants, or interns.
Success stories & reviews
Unedited Google reviews from people we've treated, covering everything from chronic pain to competitive sport.
Read All ReviewsK
Kevin Dyer
I’ve had alot of experience with PT and with training and can say that Florida Physio has been the absolute best that I’ve ever had. Leighton and Don are real pros and are a pleasure to work with. I value the fact that both have golf backgrounds so they get it on both a physiological and performance level. Fantastic practice.
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Brad Schmeiser
Highly recommend Florida Physio, Leighton and Don have helped my strength and conditioning tremendously. Their core and strength exercises have improved my flexibility, back issues and overall strength. They offer detailed exercises to improve core strength, flexibility and swing speed for your golf game.
A
Anastassia Belessioti
My 14 years old son is a competitive golfer and he had a wonderful experience with Leighton. Starting with a TPI assessment and a detailed conversation about my son’s goals, Leighton created a plan of stretches and exercises that would help my boy achieve his goals. Leighton truly a great professional!
M
Michael Puffer
I can’t thank Leighton enough for all the overall improvements I’ve seen with my golf game, my body, and most importantly the reduction in pain. He knows his stuff! I also absolutely love the app and the ability to get all my training in on my time.
B
Bill Moody
Don is unique in that he has the knowledge and skills to work both on my physical limitations and my golf swing. He is increasing my shoulder mobility and at the same time designing a swing that can work within my current limits. Highly recommended.
M
Mike Finster
Dr Leighton Peavler is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. He not only assisted with alleviating my back pain but his explanations were easy to understand. Highly recommend his services.
G
Grace Paul
I just had my first appointment with Dr. Kelly and I can’t wait to go back! I’m a bodybuilder and have been struggling with neck and shoulder pain for months. Dr. Kelly did a full assessment and performed dry needling. I walked out of the office feeling so much better and I feel very confident that I’ll soon be totally pain free!
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Karla Kirkwood
Kristin has tremendous knowledge of complex human anatomy. With her precise guidance, she has helped me gain back mobility in my shoulder that other PT’s could not achieve. An added bonus is I am almost pain free and gaining strength every week!
Sports Injuries FAQs
Clear answers to common questions about sports injuries and physical therapy.
Related treatments
01.
Back Pain & Sciatica
Local back pain, or symptoms travelling into the hip, leg, and foot, assessed for the joint, muscle, and nerve factors behind them.
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02.
Neck Pain
Stiffness, posture-related strain, headaches, and pain that spreads into the shoulder or arm, treated across the whole neck and shoulder chain.
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03.
Shoulder Pain
Care for reaching, lifting, and overhead movement, built around what your shoulder actually has to do at work and in sport.
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04.
Rotator Cuff Tear
Progressive rehabilitation for cuff pain, weakness, and lost motion, whether you're working to avoid surgery or recovering from it.
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05.
Elbow, Wrist & Hand Pain
Pain, weakness, tingling, or lost grip affecting desk work, daily tasks, golf, and racquet sports, traced back to what's irritating the tissue.
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06.
Hip & Knee Pain
Joint motion, strength, and alignment assessed alongside how you load the leg when you walk, climb stairs, and change direction.
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07.
Foot & Ankle Pain
Foot and ankle pain examined through joint motion, strength, balance, and the way your gait distributes load across the day.
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09.
Tennis & Pickleball Injuries
Tendon problems, strains, and joint pain from repeated strokes, quick direction changes, and long days on the court.
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10.
Dizziness & Vertigo
Vestibular assessment and targeted therapy for spinning, unsteadiness, and balance problems set off by head movement.
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11.
Nerve Pain
Burning, shooting, tingling, or numb symptoms assessed for where the nerve is being irritated and what's causing it.
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12.
Pre & Post Surgery
Preparation before surgery and phased rehabilitation after it, from early mobility through to a full return to activity.
Learn MoreLive pain free in North St. Petersburg
Book a visit with a Doctor of Physical Therapy and find out what's actually going on. Most patients feel relief after their first session.