The Performance Rehab Approach: Train Through Injury, Not Around It

“You need to stop lifting.”
It’s the most common advice injured CrossFit athletes and active adults hear when they walk into a typical physical therapy clinic or some other healthcare provider who doesn’t really understand what it is you do.

But here’s the truth: you don’t have to stop training—you just need to start training smarter.

At Infinite Capacity Physical Therapy in South Portland, Maine, we take a performance rehab approach—helping athletes modify, adapt, and continue to train through injuries, not just wait them out.

What Is Performance Rehab?

Performance rehab is a strategy-focused, athlete-first model that keeps you moving—safely—while addressing the root cause of your pain.

Instead of saying “don’t deadlift,” we teach you how to deadlift in a way that supports healing.

Instead of avoiding overhead pressing, we help you build shoulder control and modify loading patterns that allow you to make progress without flaring up symptoms.

This approach is different from what you’ll find in many traditional clinics. Why? Because we believe:

🏋️ Movement is medicine—when it’s properly dosed and coached.
💪 Strength is a major part of the solution — as part of an individualized plan based on your personal limitations, needs, and goals.
⏳ Waiting is not a treatment plan.

Common Problems with Traditional Injury Rehab

We regularly work with CrossFit athletes from the Portland, Maine area who’ve already “been through PT” without success. Here’s what they often report:

• Being told to rest indefinitely or stop CrossFit completely

• Generic rehab exercises with no progression back to barbell work

• Pain returning once training resumes

• No understanding of the demands of CrossFit or functional fitness

Sound familiar?

The problem isn’t your injury—it’s the approach. Most insurance-based models aren’t designed to help competitive or high-level recreational athletes. At Infinite Capacity PT, we are.

What Performance Rehab Looks Like in Practice

When you come to our clinic in South Portland, Maine, here’s what you can expect:

1. An In Depth, Functional Assessment

We don’t just treat the pain—we look at movement patterns, control, mobility, and load capacity to understand the why behind the injury.

2. Customized, Gym-Relevant Programming

We modify movements, not avoid them. You’ll learn:

• How to improve movement patterns or appropriately scale to reduce stress while continuing to train

• Alternative patterns (e.g., landmine press for overhead pain)

• Tempo and ROM adjustments that promote tissue remodeling

3. Clear Communication and Long-Term Progressions

You’ll leave each session knowing:

• What you can do right now

• How to progress each week

• What markers we’re tracking to guide return to full intensity

4. Hands-On Treatment That Supports Your Goals

We combine manual therapy, movement re-education, and strength-based rehab—all aligned with your sport and goals.

Real Athletes. Real Results.

One Portland-area athlete came to us with acute calf pain. She’d been told by a sports medicine physician that “it’ll probably be an 8-10 week recovery”. But that wasn’t an option—she had a CrossFit competition in four weeks.

We identified the issue, kept her training—safely—while building strength in the right areas.

“when I strained my calf… with his programming, I was able to still compete as planned! I will absolutely go back in the future and would definitely recommend his services to friends and other athletes.” – Alena, Arundel ME

Why Athletes Choose Infinite Capacity Physical Therapy

✅ We specialize in performance-focused PT for CrossFit, Olympic lifting, and functional fitness.
✅ You’ll work 1-on-1 with a Doctor of Physical Therapy—no techs or cookie-cutter care.
✅ We’re conveniently located in South Portland, with a clinic built for people who love to train.
✅ No insurance limitations = better outcomes.

Whether you’re dealing with shoulder pain, back tightness, or an old knee injury, you don’t have to give up the barbell to get better.

Ready to Train Through Injury—Not Around It?

We help active adults and CrossFit athletes across the greater Portland, Maine area stay in the gym while rehabbing with purpose.