Sports physical therapy in Chatsworth, one-on-one with Dr. Ed
Rehab for the injury, strength for the weak link, and a step-by-step return to your sport instead of a blanket "rest".
Who sports physical therapy is for
Athletes of every level come to Dr. Ed, from a 10-year-old gymnast to a weekend runner. The situations are usually these.
- A fresh injury.A rolled ankle, a pulled hamstring, a knee that gave out, a shoulder that will not lift. You want to know what it is, how bad it is and when you can play.
- A pain that will not clear.Shin splints, tennis elbow, runner's knee, a sore Achilles, a back that hurts on every backbend. It has been weeks and it flares every session.
- After surgery.ACL reconstruction, a rotator cuff repair, a meniscus repair, and you want rehab that treats you like an athlete going back to competition, not a patient going back to the couch. (Full detail on the post-op physical therapy page.)
- A young athlete.Gymnasts, dancers and team-sport kids whose growing bodies get hurt differently; see pediatric physical therapy.
- Injury prevention.A history of ankle sprains or an ACL in one knee, and you want the other side protected before the season.
What treatment looks like with Dr. Ed
The first visit is an evaluation of about 60 minutes, depending on what you need, one-on-one with Dr. Ed. He looks at the injured area and at everything above and below it: how you land, cut, squat, throw or reach, where the strength is missing and which movement keeps reloading the injury. He explains what he found and what the plan is, including a realistic line on when you can train and when you can compete.
Every visit after that is about 60 minutes with Dr. Ed, nobody else, and usually mixes:
- Hands-on manual therapy for the injured tissue and the joints around it.
- Strength and control work for the muscles that should have protected it, built up week by week.
- Mobility and flexibility work where the sport needs it, especially for gymnasts and dancers.
- Sport-specific drills: landing mechanics, cutting, sprinting, throwing, whatever your sport asks for, added as you earn them.
- Electrical stimulation, therapeutic ultrasound, red light therapy and kinesiology taping where they help recovery or let you train sooner.
- A written home program and a note for your coach on what is and is not allowed this week.
Dr. Ed schedules around training. Appointments run until 8pm Monday to Friday and on Saturdays, and patients say he fits sessions around busy schedules, late at night or during the day. How many visits you need depends on the injury; he sets it after the evaluation.
Return to sport, step by step
Pain going away is not the same as being ready to play. The injury that comes back is usually the one that was rested, felt fine and was never retested. Dr. Ed runs rehab in stages: calm the injury, restore range, rebuild strength, then retest you against what the sport demands (single-leg hop, cutting, overhead load, backbends) before you go full speed. You know where you are at every visit and what the next gate is.
For athletes who have had an ACL injury or repeated ankle sprains, the same testing becomes a prevention program for the other side.
Sports injuries treated
- Ankle sprains and chronic ankle instability
- ACL, MCL and meniscus injuries, before and after surgery
- Runner's knee, patellar tendinitis, IT band pain
- Hamstring, quad, calf and groin strains
- Rotator cuff strains and tears, shoulder impingement, labral injuries
- Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
- Shin splints and stress reactions
- Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis
- Back pain in gymnasts, dancers and throwing athletes (see back pain therapy)
"I had a great experience working with Dr. Ed Shut during 6 weeks of physical therapy on my ankles."
Insurance and referrals
You can usually start within days of the injury.
- No referral needed to start
- California law lets you see a physical therapist without a referral for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. After that, we need a referral from your doctor to continue. Medicare patients need a referral from the start.
- Insurance
- We accept Medicare and personal injury liens. If you have PPO insurance, we provide a superbill, an itemized receipt you send to your insurer for reimbursement. Direct-pay patients are welcome.
- Visits
- Visits run about 60 minutes, depending on what you need, and every one is one-on-one with Dr. Ed.
Details and what to bring are on the insurance and cost page.
Common questions from athletes
How soon after an injury should I come in?
As soon as you can bear weight and move without severe pain, usually within the first few days. Early evaluation shortens the whole recovery. If you suspect a fracture or the joint is grossly unstable, get it imaged first.
Will I have to stop training completely?
Usually not. Dr. Ed works out what you can safely keep doing this week and what to hold back on, and adjusts it as you improve.
Do you work with my coach or trainer?
Yes. Dr. Ed will write down what is and is not allowed, and is happy to talk to a coach or trainer directly.
Do you treat kids and teens?
Yes, including young gymnasts and dancers; see the pediatric physical therapy page.
How do I know I am ready to play again?
You are tested against what the sport demands, not just asked whether it hurts. Dr. Ed will tell you plainly when you pass and what is still missing.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is needed to start. California law lets you see a physical therapist without a referral for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. After that, we need a referral from your doctor to continue. Medicare patients need a referral from the start.
Book your sports injury evaluation
Tell Dr. Ed what happened, which sport and when you need to be back. He will confirm your time by phone or email, usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call (818) 749-3205Dr. Ed answers his own phone.
19851 Nordhoff Place, Unit 105 (Suite C), Chatsworth, CA 91311
Mon to Sat 10am to 8pm, Sun closed. Free parking in the lot in front, no gate code, street parking available.
Book by phone
Call (818) 749-3205Mon to Sat 10am to 8pm, Sun closed
The online booking form opens here soon. Until then, call or email chatsworthpt@gmail.com and we confirm your time, usually the same day.
No payment is required to book.