Home › Conditions › Sports Injuries
Sports Injury Treatment in
La Crosse & Onalaska
Getting hurt is part of sport. Getting back — fully, safely, and stronger — requires the right team.
A sports injury doesn't just hurt your body. It disrupts your training, your competition, your identity, and your goals. Whether you're a competitive athlete working toward a season or a weekend warrior who just wants to get back to doing what you love — you deserve care that takes your performance goals as seriously as your recovery.
Our sports rehab team includes a Sports Certified Specialist, an athletic trainer, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and clinicians who are competitive athletes themselves. We understand what it takes to get back to full performance — and we build every plan with that end point in mind.
What Is Sports Injuries?
Sports injuries encompass a wide range of acute and overuse conditions affecting athletes and active individuals. They range from sudden-onset injuries (sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations) to gradual-onset overuse injuries (tendinopathies, stress fractures, bursitis) that develop from repetitive loading beyond the tissue's capacity.
The distinction between acute and overuse, and the specific structure involved, determines the most effective treatment approach — which is why accurate diagnosis at the first evaluation is so important.
Symptoms & Signs
Contributing Factors
Acute sports injuries typically result from a single traumatic event — a tackle, a fall, an awkward landing, a collision. Overuse injuries develop when cumulative load exceeds the tissue's capacity to recover — driven by training errors (too much, too fast, too soon), biomechanical factors, equipment, or inadequate recovery.
The most effective sports injury management addresses both the tissue itself and the underlying training, biomechanical, or strength factors that contributed to the injury — to prevent recurrence as much as to treat the current problem.
How We Treat It at
Dynamic Performance and Therapy
Acute Injury Management
Evidence-based acute phase management using the PEACE & LOVE framework — optimally loading the tissue early, managing pain without suppressing healing, and beginning rehabilitation as soon as appropriate.
Sport-Specific Rehabilitation
Progressive rehabilitation designed around the specific demands of your sport — the movements, loads, and energy systems you'll need to perform in. Not a generic exercise program.
Return-to-Sport Testing
Objective functional testing — including strength symmetry ratios, hop testing, and sport-specific movement screens — to clear athletes for return to training and competition based on performance, not just the absence of pain.
Manual Therapy & Dry Needling
Hands-on joint and soft tissue treatment to restore mobility, reduce pain, and optimize tissue quality during the rehabilitation process.
Injury Prevention & Load Management
For athletes who have recovered — or who want to avoid injury — a systematic approach to identifying movement deficits, strength asymmetries, and training load factors that increase injury risk.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
A comprehensive sports injury evaluation — including movement quality, strength, sport-specific demands, and contributing biomechanical factors. We build a phased return-to-sport plan with clear milestones from day one.
For acute injuries: please bring any imaging you have, and wear clothing that allows access to the injured area.
Our Key Providers
The specific care you need and deserve — all brought together under one practice, across three locations in La Crosse and Onalaska.
How soon after an injury should I see a PT?
As soon as possible. Early intervention — even in the first 24–48 hours — leads to faster recovery, better outcomes, and in many cases prevents the need for more invasive treatment. You don't need to wait for swelling to go down.
Can PT clear me to return to sport?
Yes. We use objective functional testing — not just pain levels — to determine readiness for return to training and competition. This includes strength symmetry testing, functional movement screens, and sport-specific performance benchmarks.
What's the difference between seeing a PT and seeing an athletic trainer?
Athletic trainers (ATC) specialize in acute injury management and sport-specific care, often in real-time sports settings. Physical therapists provide comprehensive rehabilitation from injury through return to sport. Dr. Mike Borst holds both credentials — giving him a uniquely broad perspective.
I've re-injured the same area multiple times. Can you help?
This is exactly who we're built for. Recurrent injuries almost always have an underlying movement, strength, or loading pattern that hasn't been addressed. We find it — and fix it.
Do you work with youth athletes?
Yes. We work with youth, high school, collegiate, and professional athletes. Youth athletes receive age-appropriate programming with special attention to growth plate considerations and sport participation guidance.
Don't settle for halfway back.
Our certified sports specialists will build a plan that gets you back to competing — stronger, smarter, and with a lower injury risk than before.
Call us today Onalaska (608) 351-3049 for State Road (608) 668-6700
Front Desk Hours
Monday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Tuesday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Friday: 800am - 4:30pm
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Important Links
Our Locations
Onalaska Location
1430 Main St, Onalaska, WI 54650
State Road - La Crosse
3208 State Road, Suite A, La Crosse, WI 54601
Unity - La Crosse
2801 Losey Blvd, La Crosse, WI 54601
Dynamic Performance and Therapy. © 2026. All rights reserved.