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Upslope Physical Therapy & Performance Call
Athlete performing cable resistance exercises during rehab at UpSlope

Youth Sports Injuries

Not Able to Play like you used to?

Injuries shouldn’t derail a season — or a love for sport. At UpSlope, we help youth athletes recover from injury, build strong movement habits, and return to play with confidence.

We get it

They train hard.
Their bodies need the support.

Whether your athlete is dealing with overuse pain, a growth-related injury, or coming back from a bigger setback, we focus on safe progression, long-term health, and performance that lasts. Pain is never just part of the game. It is a signal that something needs attention. We take it seriously.

Youth soccer team playing on the field

Diagnosis

Why Athletes Choose UpSlope

Young athletes today train more, specialize earlier, and play longer seasons than ever before. Rapid growth spurts, overuse from year-round sports, poor movement mechanics, strength imbalances, inadequate recovery, and returning to play too quickly are the most common injury drivers. The body is still developing, and it responds differently than an adult body would.

Common Issues We Help With

Growth plate irritation (Sever’s, Osgood-Schlatter’s)
Knee pain and instability
Ankle sprains and foot pain
Shoulder and throwing-related pain
Low back pain
Muscle strains and overuse injuries
Post-surgical rehab
Poor movement mechanics leading to repeat injuries

Here is what we look for.

  • +Growth plate stress and apophysitis at common insertion sites like the heel and knee.
  • +Movement pattern deficits that increase injury risk as training volume grows.
  • +Strength imbalances and coordination gaps that show up under sport-specific demand.

Most young athletes are told to rest and come back when it stops hurting. For competitive athletes, that cycle repeats every season. We break it.

We find the root cause.

Young athlete doing upper-body strength work in physical therapy at UpSlope

Who we help

Young athletes who want to stay in their sport.

We help youth athletes across all sports, from middle school through college, who are dealing with injury, overuse, or movement problems that are limiting their performance.

If any of this sounds familiar.

  • +Growth plate irritation, including Sever's and Osgood-Schlatter's.
  • +Knee pain and instability.
  • +Ankle sprains and recurring instability.
  • +Shoulder or throwing-related pain.
  • +Low back pain during sport.
  • +Muscle strains and overuse injuries.
  • +Returning from surgery or a significant injury.

Whether your athlete is trying to finish the season, prepare for the next level, or simply stay healthy while they grow. We build the movement foundation that makes sport sustainable long term.

You stay in your sport.

What we treat

From injured to return-to-play.

  • +Growth plate irritation (Sever's, Osgood-Schlatter's)
  • +Knee pain and instability
  • +Ankle sprains and foot pain
  • +Shoulder and throwing-related pain
  • +Low back pain
  • +Muscle strains and overuse injuries
  • +Post-surgical rehab and return to sport
  • +Movement mechanics and injury prevention
Young athlete playing volleyball

Should I see a PT?

Our Approach to Youth Athlete Care

We treat youth athletes differently — because they are different.

Thorough Movement Assessment
We evaluate how your athlete moves, loads, jumps, lands, runs, and stabilizes — not just where it hurts.

Pain Relief + Safe Recovery
Hands-on care, mobility work, and age-appropriate strength training to reduce symptoms and restore confidence.

Strength & Movement Development
We build:
• Core control
• Balance and coordination
• Proper mechanics
• Sport-specific strength

This creates the foundation for injury resistance as they grow.

Return-to-Play With Confidence
Clear progression. Objective benchmarks.
No guessing. No rushing.

PT is the most effective first step when:

  • +Pain during or after practices or games.
  • +Injuries that keep coming back each season.
  • +Pain with running, jumping, throwing, or cutting.
  • +Decreased performance or confidence after an injury.
  • +Symptoms that have not fully resolved with rest alone.

Sports injuries in growing athletes are influenced by growth spurts, movement mechanics, strength imbalances, training volume, and recovery habits. Our approach helps young athletes heal properly while building strength, coordination, and resilience to reduce future injury risk. Most athletes return to their sport safely and confidently, rather than rushing back and dealing with repeat setbacks.

Talk to us first.

The Upslope Method

Four phases. One outcome.

01

Find the root cause

A deep dive into movement, strength, mobility, and the demands of your sport. We pinpoint exactly what is causing the pain. And why it keeps coming back.

02

Reduce pain, restore function quickly

Hands-on therapy, targeted mobility, graded loading. You feel relief in the first sessions, not the eighth. And you understand what changed.

03

Build strength, control & durability

Movement quality is restored. Now we build the foundation that keeps it. Real strength work in the gym to restore tolerance to load.

04

Unlock peak performance

Coached back through your sport-specific demands until you train with confidence again.

Patient story

Someone who knows how to help.

“I'd recommend UpSlope to any kind of athlete. Regardless of your sport, they have someone who knows how to help you get back to it.”

Beki · CrossFit Athlete

Proof

We have done this work. A lot.

1500+
Patients Helped
225+
Google Reviews
90%
Success Rate

At UpSlope, we pride ourselves on an active approach to rehab. You will never hear us tell you to stop the things you love, because we get it. You want to stay in the gym, on the trail, on the court. Not on the sidelines.

In their words.

★★★★★ 5.0 on Google

  • Jennifer Boltz

    ★★★★★

    I highly recommend Dr Ryley and UpSlope physical therapy! Everybody was super friendly, professional, and informative. Dr Ryley was extremely helpful in strengthening my impinged shoulder muscles and giving me back my mobility.

    Google
  • Lex H

    ★★★★★

    I’ve had such a great experience at Upslope! Everyone is so welcoming and friendly, and I always feel comfortable when I’m there. My physical therapist (Nick) has been amazing, knowledgeable, encouraging, and genuinely cares about helping me feel better and make progress. I always leave feeling like I’m moving in the right direction. I would definitely recommend Upslope to anyone looking for a great physical therapist!

    Google
  • Yash Salvi

    ★★★★★

    These guys are truly amazing! Two months ago, I walked into UpSlope Therapy with a shoulder injury I suffered during a Spartan Race. I went from being someone with a very active lifestyle to barely being able to lift my arm. I regularly lift weights, play softball, and love hiking, so being injured meant I was missing out on a huge part of my life — the workouts, the games, the hikes, and honestly, all the fun that came with being active. The pain was even affecting my sleep at night. During my initial assessment, Dr. Riley took the time to thoroughly evaluate my shoulder, explain what was going on, and walk me through a clear recovery plan. Since getting back to an active lifestyle was so important to me, we put together a two-month plan focused on gradually rebuilding my mobility, strength, and confidence. Every session was attentive, personalized, and incredibly helpful. We started slowly and worked our way up, focusing on progress without pushing things too quickly. With every session, I could feel the difference — I was gaining more mobility, getting stronger, and slowly getting back to the activities I had been missing. One of the best moments was realizing that I could finally move my shoulder normally again and start lifting weights at the gym. Two months later, I’m back to my normal mobility, rebuilding my strength, playing softball, getting back out on the trails, and most importantly, enjoying my active lifestyle again. The entire team at UpSlope Therapy has been incredibly friendly, supportive, and encouraging throughout my recovery. They didn’t just help me heal; they helped me get back to doing the things that make life fun. I’m extremely grateful for my experience and would absolutely recommend UpSlope Therapy to anyone recovering from an injury or trying to get back to the activities they love!

    Google
  • Mary Quintero

    ★★★★★

    If you are having pain or dealing with an injury – even an old one Dr Lizzie is worth checking out! She has taken me from being in a lot of pain and limited mobility to back to being active, and most importantly – NO PAIN! What really stands out is her humor and how much she genuinely cares. Every session is tailored to what I needed and she is good at adapting the plan to meet you where you are physically. Her encouragement and clear explanations have given me tools to keep up my progress down the road. If you are dedicated to changing your life and want results – Dr Lizzie can get you there.

    Google
  • Kristen Casselman

    ★★★★★

    I had an amazing experience with Lizzie at Upslope! Before I came here, I was terrified that I may never be able to hike, do yoga, or get back into the gym without always having horrible pain in various parts of my body. Lizzie helped me work through my various issues and was willing to pivot as needed to whatever flare up I had going on at the time; this is something I had really struggled with when seeing previous physical therapists. She helped me get back to doing all of the physical hobbies I love, and I am so grateful for her and Upslope for getting me through a really challenging time!

    Google
  • Fay Ng

    ★★★★★

    I had an amazing experience at Upslope! I visited from California and was so fortunate to find Upslope. Dr. Frankie is so personal and knowledgeable. She has exceeded my expectations of PT and taught me so much during the short period of time I was able to work with her. The whole team is so compassionate, friendly and fun. If you’re lucky, Lizzie will make her snake impressions for you!

    Google

Read all 217 reviews on Google →

Questions

Before you reach out.

Do I need a referral?

No. Direct access in Colorado means you can come straight to us. No doctor visit first.

How long does youth sports injury rehab take?

Most overuse and growth-related injuries resolve in 6 to 12 weeks. Post-surgical timelines vary. We will lay out a clear return-to-play progression in the first session.

What is a Discovery Visit?

A 60-minute session where we map the problem and lay out a plan. No commitment, $0 at booking. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you and refer you well.

What sets you apart?

We treat youth athletes differently because they are different. Age-appropriate loading, sport-specific progressions, and objective return-to-play benchmarks. No guessing. No rushing.

Get started

Get your athlete back in the game.

Stay in your sport, get out of pain, build the body you want.