ANCHOR

ATHLETIC THERAPY

Athletic Therapists are the “first responders” for athletic injuries and chronic injuries.

ANCHOR’s approach to Athletic Therapy is simple: We focus on taking patients through individualized, active rehabilitation to get them back to everyday life, fitness + sport in a safe and efficient manner.

WHAT IS ATHLETIC THERAPY?

  • ATHLETIC THERAPY COMBINES MASSAGE, MOBILITY WORK, STRETCHING, AND STRENGTHENING ALL INTO ONE TREATMENT TO HELP RID THE BODY OF PAIN, DISCOMFORT, AND DYSFUNCTION.

  • HELPS TO IMPROVE MOBILITY AND STABILITY OF THE WHOLE BODY

  • GREAT FOR JOINT OR MUSCLE INJURIES, CHRONIC INJURIES, CHRONIC PAIN, POOR MOBILITY OR FLEXIBILITY

HOW IS ATHLETIC THERAPY DIFFERENT FROM PHYSIO?

  • ATHLETIC THERAPISTS SPECIALIZE IN MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES (JOINTS/MUSCLES/LIGAMENTS)

  • USED A HOLLISTIC WHOLE BODY APPROACH TO HELP THE BODY MOVE AND FUNCTION PROPERLY

  • A SPORTS MEDICINE BASED APPROACH FOCUSING ON JOINT MOBILITY, FLEXIBILITY, STRETCHING, STRENGTHENING, PAIN REDUCTION, AND PATIENT EDUCATION.

 

MEET OUR ATHLETIC THERAPIST

Lauren Hilliker CAT(C), CERTIFIED ATHLETIC THERAPIST

Lauren completed her Honours Bachelors of Applied Health Science (Athletic Therapy)- BAHSc in 2020 at Sheridan College. Lauren has worked exclusively with The Georgina ICE, Humber College with their Varsity Women’s Softball Team and within their Varsity Athletic Therapy Clinic, as well as in various York Region Soccer Programs as a Therapist, First Responder, Coach, and Mentor. Working with both Humber's and Sheridan's Athletic Therapy Clinics she has appreciated the fact that Athletic Therapy is not only for athletes as everyone puts physical demands on their bodies. Lauren uses a holistic approach to rehabilitation, utilizing components of hands-on manual therapy/ massage, therapeutic modalities, as well as stretch and exercise prescription to treat a wide assortment of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. 


Lauren has grown up as an athlete and has had her fair share of injuries. Her previous experiences motivated her to pursue this career of helping others through their injuries so she can educate, make rehab as enjoyable as possible, take away some pain and discomfort to allow individuals to return to their active daily lives, and prevent further damage and reoccurring injuries.

INJURIES WE CAN TREAT

Athletic Therapy is used to treat a wide range of injuries including everything from:

  • SPORTS OR WORKPLACE INJURIES

  • CHRONIC INJURIES,

  • TRAUMATIC INJURIES,

  • BIOMECHANICAL DYSFUNCTIONS,

  • MUSCLE TENSION,

  • SPRAINS & STRAINS, FRACTURES

  • POST-CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS,

  • CONCUSSION RETURN TO PLAY PROTOCOLS

  • PRE/POST SURGICAL MANIFESTATIONS,

  • PRE/POSTPARTUM CONCERNS

    Treatment Focus Points:

  • Soft Tissue Work (Massage, Stretching, etc)

  • Mobility and Stability work

  • Strengthening and Stretching

  • Decreasing Pain/ Discomfort

Athletic Therapists treat based on a patient's individual needs and goals. They help patients to continue on with their active daily lives. So, individuals can return to sport, the gym, work, activities, or life in general with better mobility, form, and strength and less pain, discomfort and instability.

WHAT CAN ATHLETIC THERAPY DO FOR ME?

Athletic Therapy is also great in conjunction with other health care services (ex. Chiropractic Treatments and Massage Therapy). it helps to maximize those treatment's benefits when following it up with mobility, stability and strengthening work with an Athletic Therapist. Athletic Therapy helps to get the most out of chiropractic and massage treatments and helps to prevent tissue from reverting to how it was. Therefore, improving your conditions and prolonging the gains from treatments.

DO I HAVE ATHLETIC THERAPY COVERAGE?

Athletic Therapy is different from other Health Care Professions and needs its own mentioning in your Extended Health Care Benefits packages. We encourage you to look at your plan and look for the words “Athletic Therapy”. Sometimes Athletic Therapy will be grouped in with other therapies (Physical Therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy)

Providers that usually have Athletic Therapy Coverage Include but are not limited to;

Canada Life

Great West Life

Standard Life

Blue Cross

Canadian Athlete Insurance Program (CAIP)

Hockey Canada

Desjardin

Claim Secure

Sun Life

Reliable Life Insurance Co.

Manulife

Empire Life

Green Shield   & more.

***If your plan does not mention Athletic Therapy don’t fret! Let us know and we can give you a form to try and change the phrasing of your current plan to include Athletic Therapy so it will be grouped in with other therapies. Contact the front desk for the form and if you have any questions or concerns!***