Sports Physical Therapy in Columbia, SC

Physical Therapy for peak performance

Train Smarter

Accelerate Recovery

Maximize Performance

We’re Here For You, Columbia.

You like to move, but sometimes aches and pains get in the way. Salerno Sports Therapy specializes in working with athletes to improve sports performance, mitigate injury / injury risk, and speed up recovery.

Recovery

  • Individualized care for people suffering sports injuries or seeking a treatment plan for holistic healing and recovery. We treat a variety of injuries including shoulder, knee, hip, and back injuries.

  • A variety of evidence-based physical therapy modalities to help people heal and recover faster, as well as injury prevention and mitigation. This includes spinal manipulation, myofascial cupping, soft tissue mobilization, and others. Learn more about manual therapy options.

  • An effective technique that uses non-medicated needles to help relieve muscle tension. Dry needling therapy is effective for patients in recovery and those seeking to keep muscle tension at bay to prevent injury and maintain performance.

Man exercising with a medicine ball, performing a rotational movement against a wall in a gym setting, with resistance bands and equipment in the background.

Performance

  • Sports physical therapy helps athletes recover from injury and enhance performance and longevity. The performance-based approach focuses on improving form and technique, enhancing mobility, and increasing functionality.

  • This technique is used by physical therapists to help improve performance or speed up recovery. BFR therapy uses restriction cuffs to decrease blood flow to working muscles. The body’s adaptive response encourages an increase in muscle size and strength.

  • You do not need to be in pain to see a phyiscal therapist. if you have a performance goal you are working on, running faster, lifting heavier, training for the next hyrox event, etc. A sports physical therapist can help you crush your goals.

Man lifting barbell in gym wearing sports therapy T-shirt.

Movement Assessments

  • For CrossFit athletes or weightlifters, technique is everything. Come in for a PT eval and movement assessment on some of the most fundamental movements in strength training and get actionable tips to improve and avoid injury.

  • The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) certification is the highest standard for golf professionals and aficionados. The assessment provides a multi-faceted assessment of an athlete's biomechanics, fitness, and mobility as it relates to the sport of golf. Get a TPI assessment and learn how to improve your swing.

  • For long distance runners and marathoners, maintaining a pain-free gait is essential. Get a running assessment and gait analysis to understand the source of your pain or improve your running form to avoid injury.

A man performing a bench press in a gym, with a spotter assisting. The lifter is lying on a bench under a barbell with weights, and the spotter stands behind, ready to help if needed. Both are wearing athletic clothing.

Physical Therapy in Columbia, SC

Individualized care for athletes, weekend warriors, and active adults from all walks of life

At Salerno Sports Therapy, you always get one-on-one time with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. No pre-packaged or standardized treatment plans. Our evidence-based and individualized care means you only work with a highly experienced PT that specializes in optimizing movement, recovery, and fostering better training habits for active adults and athletes of all levels.

Move Better. Move Without Pain.

Our Services

At Salerno Sports Therapy, we do more than recover.

We prepare. We train. We learn.

Our 3 step Process

Benefits of working with Salerno Sports Therapy? One-on-One with an experienced PT. always. Individualized plans and tailored care for you. Here’s how it works.

  • Get out of pain, Find and address root causes. Get back to doing what you love.

  • Prep your body to move. Build strength, improve mobility, optimize movement.

  • Create a plan. Progress performance. Reflect on achievement.

Person receiving massage therapy with a percussion massager on a massage table.

Better MOvement Begins With understanding your pain.

Whether you're a weekend golf aficionado or a competitive Crossfitter, there’s an individualized plan for success. We work one-on-one with you to find the right plan of attack for your specific issues, movement limitations, or performance goals. 

Our goal is to build good habits and find long-term solutions that become part of your training regimen or rehabilitation process and improve quality of life, promote recovery, and increase longevity. 

Conditions We Treat

  • Sports Injuries

  • Shoulder Pain 

  • Shoulder Instability

  • Elbow Pain 

  • Hip Pain 

  • Knee Pain 

  • Back Pain

  • Foot / Ankle Pain

  • Muscle strains

  • Pain with weightlifting

  • Pain with running

Sports Physical Therapy to Address Pain and Recover Faster

Injuries happen. When they do, people can go a long time without properly addressing the source of the pain or fixing the underlying issues that caused the injury in the first place. 

Working with a qualified sports physical therapist helps athletes pinpoint underlying issues and work to fix them to prevent and rehabilitate injuries.


Woman exercising on fitness rings in a gym

Performance-based physical therapy

Performance Physical Therapy for Athletes and Active Adults

Performance physical therapy goes above and beyond injury rehabilitation and works  in conjunction with an athlete’s regular training. We help improve your form and technique, enhance mobility, and increase functionality.

In other words, we get you doing what you love better, faster, and without pain. 

Performance physical therapy is not just for professional or college athletes. It applies to everyone interested in improving their performance in any activity or sport— that includes regular day-to-day or work-related activities or sports like running, golf, weightlifting and CrossFit.  


Testimonials

  • Portrait of a man in a suit with a neutral background.

    Steve Koslowski

    Jay is a top professional in the PT world! With his insight and knowledge how the body works, he not only put me back together but was able to put me on a path to enjoy training again! What I loved about each session was he helped me uncover why things hurt a certain way and educated me on what needs to be done to get them to work correctly. If something is bothering you, don’t wait - give Jay a call! Highly Recommend!

  • Parker Smith

    Parker Smith

    Jay has done an outstanding job working with me. I came to him with bilateral elbow pain and have left with no more pain! He is extremely thorough with his initial evaluation in order to prescribe you with the best possible care. I would highly recommend Salerno Sports Therapy to anyone with any nagging aches and pains OR if you want to prevent those nagging aches and pains from happening. Give Jay a call!

  • Portrait of a smiling woman with long curly blonde hair wearing a dark green blouse, standing against a gray background.

    Lindsey Hendren

    Very professional and highly recommend! I went to see Jay after a week off running due to injury. I had the Chicago marathon approaching in about 2 weeks and really wanted to be healthy and run. Jay worked hard and diligently to get me ready for the marathon — in a short time— and I was able to run the marathon, snag a PR & BQ. Jay continued to work with me post marathon to make sure I had the tools to keep my hips healthy and stronger. I’m happy with my decision to choose Salerno Sports Therapy for my PT needs!

  • Two people smiling on a beach, holding a paddle, at sunset.

    Reagan D.

    Salerno Sports Therapy was the best when I was experiencing IT band problems throughout marathon training. Their personalized treatment plan enabled me to run on race day with no pain! Besides the physical therapy, the staff was always so positive and helpful; it was a great way to start my mornings! If I'm ever hurt again, I'm going back to Salerno.

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    Linda S.

    This is my first time trying out physical therapy due to a shoulder impingement issue and I am so impressed with the strength I am already gaining with Nathan. After not being able to really work it out for a year - as someone who enjoys lifting heavy - it’s been a struggle! But Nathan's knowledge and approach allows me to get stronger day by day and have the confidence to push myself more than I would have tried and I’m grateful for that! Highly recommend even if you aren’t sure physical therapy is for you - got nothing to lose (except that recurring pain!) Thanks nathan and team!

  • Man in suit with blue tie, portrait photo

    Derek B

    Been going for about about a month after stopping by for a screening at strictly running and have been working with Nathan ever since. This has been and will be extremely helpful for my running goals

Move Better. Start Here.