Combining Occupational Therapy & ForceDecks for Smarter Sports Rehabilitation

Athletes recovering from injury need more than rest—they need a personalized recovery plan designed to restore strength, improve movement, and safely return them to activity. At Alton Physical Therapy, combining Occupational Therapywith advanced technology like ForceDecks (VALD) helps provide a more complete and data-driven approach to rehabilitation and performance training.

Together, these tools and services help athletes recover more efficiently while improving overall movement and function.

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Sports Rehabilitation

Occupational therapy focuses on helping individuals improve the skills needed for everyday activities and functional movement. For athletes, occupational therapy can support:

  • Coordination and motor control
  • Upper extremity strength and function
  • Balance and movement patterns
  • Injury recovery and return-to-activity training
  • Functional performance during sports and daily tasks

Occupational therapists work closely with athletes to help restore movement, improve body mechanics, and safely progress activity levels throughout recovery.

What Are ForceDecks (VALD)?

ForceDecks is an advanced force plate technology system that measures:

  • Strength
  • Power
  • Balance
  • Symmetry
  • Movement mechanics

This data allows therapists to identify movement deficits and track progress throughout rehabilitation. ForceDecks provides objective information that helps guide treatment decisions and return-to-sport planning.

Why This Combination Matters

When occupational therapy and ForceDecks technology are used together, therapists can combine hands-on rehabilitation with detailed movement analysis.

This approach helps:

  • Create more personalized treatment plans
  • Identify hidden movement imbalances
  • Track measurable progress over time
  • Improve athletic performance
  • Reduce the risk of reinjury
  • Support safer return-to-play decisions

Athletes not only feel improvements during therapy—they can also see measurable progress throughout recovery.

Comprehensive Sports Rehabilitation at Alton Physical Therapy

At Alton Physical Therapy, we combine experienced care with advanced technology to help athletes recover safely and confidently.

In addition to Occupational Therapy and ForceDecks, we offer services including:

  • Sports Rehabilitation
  • Sports Training & Performance Rehab
  • Dry Needling
  • Orthopedic Rehabilitation
  • Aquatic Therapy
  • Pre/Post-Operative Rehab
  • Neurologic Rehabilitation
  • Graston Technique
  • And more

Our goal is to help every patient return to activity stronger, safer, and better prepared for long-term success.

📞 Call us today: (618) 462-1133
🌐 Learn more: https://altonpt.com