Q&A with Ryan Lefever, physical therapist and co-owner of TFI.

Ryan has been working as a physical therapist for the past 16 years. He has extensive experience in treating musculoskeletal injuries in both the athlete and non-athlete alike. Prior to his role as co-owner of TFI, he was the lead physical therapist for the Chicago White Sox. We sat down with him today to learn more about that experience and how it applies to his work at TFI.

How did you get interested in treating baseball players?

I grew up watching and playing a lot of baseball. Unfortunately I was never really good at hitting so I didn’t continue playing past grade school. As I learned more about human movement as a physical therapist, I became fascinated with the mechanics involved with pitching. I wanted to be around the sport as much as possible to analyze the biomechanics and specific movements involved in the sport and how as a therapist I could help throwers recover and optimize their movement.

How did you go about becoming the physical therapist for the Chicago White Sox?

I had heard that there was an opening for the therapist position when I worked at my former place of employment. I applied for the job which was a very extensive process consisting of submitting a detailed essay about why I was right for the job, multiple phone interviews and a final interview with the head athletic trainer for the White Sox.  It also helped that I had a great recommendation from the former Chicago Bears head athletic trainer.

What were some of your responsibilities as the physical therapist for the Chicago Whie Sox?

My responsibilities included treating any players that were injured, recovering from injury, or sore before and after the game.  I progressed players who had undergone surgery through their protocols and safely returned them to action. I took the starting pitchers through their shoulder care programs on a daily basis, stretched players before games and monitored pitchers mobility and strength. Keeping track of this date helped to prevent injury during the season. 

What was your typical day like working with the team?

I would arrive at the ballpark 7-8 hours prior to the first pitch. A majority of the treatment took place before the games. I would start my day by talking with the athletic training team to determine which players required physical therapy. I would take the starting pitchers through their shoulder care programs.  We would be busy up until batting practice which started 2-3 hours before the game. The training room would then ramp back up about 1-2 hours prior to the first pitch.  The Team MDs would show up 1 hour prior to the start of the game and we would discuss the day’s injuries and determine if we thought anyone required further examination or intervention. A lot of the players would want stretching, soft tissue mobilization and mobility work before the game started. Starting pitchers would have shoulder rub downs 30 mins before the start of the game as well.  Once the game started I would stay in the athletic training room and we would take care of any injuries that happened during the game.

What did you learn from your experience with the White Sox?

I learned a lot about how a professional team and organization works. The amount of time and dedication the players, medical staff and other workers invest is absolutely remarkable. I believe a lot of my work ethic comes from working with the White Sox. As a rehab professional I do whatever it takes to get patients better.  It was a great experience being part of the team and working together to get the players back on the field and performing at their highest potential.  I learned a lot of strength concepts from the strength coach that I apply on a regular basis to this day. 

Do you incorporate your treatment methods for professional baseball players with your patients at TFI?

Yes I do. Most of my shoulder patients, especially those that are baseball players all get in some form the shoulder care program that we took the starting pitchers through. I use a lot of the strengthening principles and concepts we used in coordination with the team’s Strength and Conditioning coach with my patients and athletes. I continue to use the White Sox’s return to throwing program with my pitching athletes as well to ensure a safe and effective recovery. 

Do you have any advice for young baseball players on how to stay healthy?

I think the best advice I could give young baseball players is to take care of their bodies. Make sure they are staying as flexible and mobile as possible especially in the hips, shoulders and the mid back, called the thoracic spine.  Strength is a very important aspect of keeping healthy.  I encourage all my baseball athletes to perform their shoulder care program as much as possible during the season. I encourage the players, and parents, to focus on mechanics and not worry about their velocity, especially at a young age. It is important to listen to your body and to modify your activities accordingly. 

If you or a loved one requires physical therapy in Lincoln Square, Roscoe Village, Lakeview, Irving park, or Albany Park please call The Fit Institute today and speak to one of our dedicated professionals