What is sports medicine physical therapy?

Sports medicine physical therapy is the assessment, treatment, and performance rehab of athletic injuries with the goal of returning the athlete to competition. At TKM Labs in Salt Lake City, we focus on the upper extremity, the shoulder and elbow, where overhead and contact athletes get hurt most often.

What is return to play testing?

Return to play testing is a battery of objective measurements that confirm your arm is ready for the demands of your sport. We test rotator cuff strength, internal and external rotation ratios, scapular control, range of motion, and where appropriate, throwing velocity and workload tolerance. You leave with a written clearance report you can share with your coach or athletic trainer.

When should an athlete start season preparation?

Six to twelve weeks before your season begins is ideal. That gives us time to screen for deficits, build strength and capacity, and ramp throwing or sport-specific volume safely. Last-minute prep still helps, but earlier is always better.

Can you work with my coach or athletic trainer?

Absolutely. We regularly coordinate with high school, club, and college coaches and athletic trainers in Salt Lake City and across Utah. Clear communication keeps your rehab and your training pulling in the same direction.

Do you treat youth and high school athletes?

Yes. We treat athletes of all ages, from youth Little League pitchers to college and adult competitive athletes. Youth overhead athletes especially benefit from early intervention, since most arm pain at that age is preventable.

Can I keep training while I rehab?

In most cases yes. We modify, not eliminate. Lower body lifts, conditioning, and many sport-specific drills usually continue while we rebuild the injured tissue, so you stay sharp through your rehab.

How is this different from a general orthopedic physical therapy clinic?

We treat only the upper extremity and we built the Humero Tech C1®, a one-of-a-kind device that loads the shoulder and elbow in every direction. You get specialist-level testing, sport-specific programming, and the kind of objective data most physical therapy clinics can't provide.

Sports Medicine Physical Therapy in Salt Lake City, UT | TKM Labs

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Sports medicine physical therapy session for an upper extremity athlete at TKM Labs in Salt Lake City

Sports Physical Therapy in Salt Lake City

Upper extremity physical therapy for throwers, climbers, lifters, and overhead athletes. Return to play testing, season preparation, and sport-specific rehab built specifically for the shoulder and elbow.

Objective Testing

Eliminate the guesswork and use advanced technology that provides objective insight into the status of the shoulder.

Sport-Specific Loading

Whatever your sport may be, your rehab plan will prepare you for the demands of the sport.

Return to Play

Use the objective data to determine when it is appropriate to return to competition.

Season Readiness

Have a screen performed before the season to get the status of your shoulder before an injury occurs.

Sports Physical Therapy

Built for the Overhead Athlete.

Sports physical therapy is getting an injured athlete back to the competition. At TKM Labs, we specialize in the upper extremity athletes; whether it be a baseball pitcher or a rock climber, we specialize in all things shoulder and elbow.

Our Doctors of Physical Therapy combine sport-specific rehab with objective testing to help create treatment plans aimed at helping you excel.

Football player making a leaping one-handed catch during return to play training at a Salt Lake City sports medicine physical therapy clinic

What We Do

Sport-specific rehab for the Shoulder and Elbow

Focused sports medicine physical therapy built around two things: knowing where you actually are, and getting you back to where you need to be.

Injury Screening

Injury Rehabilitation

Who It's For

Who needs sports physical therapy?

If your shoulder or elbow is the limiting factor between you and your next season, this is the place.

Throwers being limited by pain
Overhead athletes having decreased performance
Climbers and CrossFit Athletes with limited overhead success
Weightlifters not being able to set new PRs
Youth and high school athletes preparing for a season
Adults returning to recreational competition

Athlete training shoulder strength on the Humero Tech C1 during sports medicine physical therapy

Doctor of Physical Therapy performing return to play testing on an athlete

Why Objective Testing Matters

Current Methods Don't Cut It. Here's Why.

Current methods and the accepted standard aren't rigorous enough and don't provide substantial information. Objective testing provides necessary information to create a plan of care designed for success.

Provides actual values for strength testing
Can calculate internal to external rotation ratios
Creates the baseline for the rehabilitation plan
Builds a workload ramp that prevents re-injury
Replaces guesswork with criteria-based clearance
Gives coaches and trainers data they can trust
People who have had surgery

Timing Matters

When should you come in?

The time to see a rehab professional is when the first symptom is felt. Don't wait until you have had symptoms for weeks to address an injury. Whether you want a quick assessment or to rehab an injury, schedule now.

6 to 12 weeks before your season

The ideal window for screening, building capacity, and ramping sport-specific volume.

After any in-season arm pain

Don't wait for it to become structural. Catch it while it's still mechanical.

Before returning from an injury

Get objective return to play clearance before stepping back into competition.

Off-season for performance

Build strength, mobility, and resilience while you have the time to do it right.

Quick Answer

Don't wait until tryouts to find out your arm isn't ready.

Whether you're prepping for a season or working back from an injury, book a free 15-minute consult and we'll map out the right plan.

Book 15-min Consult

Meet The Team

Meet Your Shoulder Rehab Specialist

Dr. Court Zollinger, PT, DPT, CAFS

Physical Therapy Clinical Director

Dr. Court Zollinger, PT, DPT, CAFS, specializes in shoulder and upper extremity rehabilitation, with a focus on helping patients recover from surgery and return to full performance. From rotator cuff repairs to shoulder replacements, he has guided countless patients from immobilization back to strength, mobility, and sport.

With a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Idaho State University, Dr. Zollinger has practiced orthopedic physical therapy across Arizona and Utah, continually refining his approach to deliver better outcomes. His passion for rehabilitation was shaped by his own injury-filled Division I baseball career, giving him firsthand insight into what it takes to recover and perform at a high level.

Beyond the clinic, Dr. Zollinger plays a key role in developing the Humero Tech C1®, bringing real-world rehabilitation expertise into cutting-edge technology that improves how patients recover.