Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation of the Combined Effects of Physical Therapy and Exercise Therapy in the Rehabilitation of Sports Injuries

Sports injuries are common among athletes and recreationally active individuals, and rehabilitation outcomes influence functional recovery and the risk of re-injury. Physical therapy and exercise therapy are established rehabilitation strategies; however, evidence regarding their combined effectiveness remains limited. This retrospective cohort study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of combining physical therapy with staged exercise therapy for sports injury rehabilitation. A total of 185 patients with knee, ankle, or muscle strain injuries received either physical therapy alone (Physiotherapy group, n = 90) or physical therapy combined with staged exercise therapy (Comprehensive Therapy group, n = 95). Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Outcomes included motor function (Lysholm score, assessed at 8 weeks in the knee injury subgroup), pain (Numerical Rating Scale [NRS]), functional recovery (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society [AOFAS] score in the ankle injury subgroup), dynamic balance (Star Excursion Balance Test [SEBT]), quality of life (Short Form-36 [SF-36]), and adverse reactions. At 8 weeks, the Comprehensive Therapy group demonstrated lower resting NRS scores (1.26 ± 0.95 vs. 2.48 ± 1.02; P < 0.001) and activity NRS scores (3.56 ± 0.95 vs. 4.48 ± 1.05; P < 0.001) than the Physiotherapy group. Improvements in Lysholm score (85.07 ± 4.14 vs. 76.30 ± 5.86; P < 0.001), AOFAS score (79.02 ± 3.03 vs. 75.22 ± 5.03; P = 0.001), SEBT performance (102.32 ± 1.42 vs. 95.18 ± 1.33; P < 0.001), and seven of eight SF-36 domains (P < 0.05) were greater in the Comprehensive Therapy group. Adverse reaction rates were comparable between groups (P > 0.05). Combined therapy was associated with greater improvements in pain, functional recovery, balance, and quality of life than physical therapy alone, with a comparable safety profile. However, the 8-week follow-up precludes assessment of long-term outcomes.