What to Expect During Medical Leave as a Performer

When a performer is placed on medical leave, it's not just time off—it's time on for recovery. Healing becomes your full-time job, and at FlySpace PT, we’re here to guide you through that process with clarity, structure, and support.

Whether you're recovering from a recent injury or managing a persistent issue, our first priority in physical therapy is to calm down the acute phase—to reduce pain, inflammation, and protect the injured area. But that’s just the beginning.

Once your body is ready, we move into the next phase: progressively increasing local tissue load. This phase is essential to promote resilience in the injured area and prepare you for the demands of returning to rehearsal and performance.

But we don't stop there—because your show doesn’t only demand one muscle or joint. Broadway and live performance requires intense, full-body stamina, coordination, and precision. That’s why our rehab approach also focuses on restoring your overall fitness and readiness for the stage, not just treating the injury in isolation.

Phase 1: Calm the Storm

The first priority in physical therapy is to manage the acute phase of your injury. That means:

• Managing pain and inflammation

• Protecting the injured tissue

• Restoring basic function

This phase may feel slow, but it's essential. We’re setting the foundation for a strong return.

Phase 2: Load & Rebuild

Once the acute phase is under control, we begin systematically increasing load on the injured area. This helps:

• Rebuild tissue tolerance

• Restore movement quality

• Improve strength and control specific to your injury

Your body needs to be exposed gradually to stress again—not just to heal, but to prepare for the demands of stage life.

Phase 3: Return to Show Readiness

A performer's schedule is rigorous—rehearsals, lifts, floorwork, high kicks, quick changes, and back-to-back shows. That’s why we look beyond your injury and focus on performance-level readiness.

We’ll help you build:

• Full-body strength

• Cardiovascular endurance

• Power and speed

• Technical control and alignment

Our goal is to help you return not just pain-free—but stronger, sharper, and more confident in your movement.

Extra Support: Strengthening Beyond the Table

We know that true recovery isn’t just about what happens on the treatment table—it’s also about how you move, train, and rebuild outside of one-on-one sessions. That’s why we offer supportive tools and connections to help keep your progress moving forward.

Performer Strength Hour

Our supervised open gym hour is designed specifically for performers in rehab. During this time, you’ll have access to space, equipment, and expert guidance to continue building strength, stability, and control—safely and intentionally. Whether you're regaining power for choreography or rebuilding stamina for eight-show weeks, this is your space to work smart.

Whole-Person Support

Depending on your specific needs, we may create individualized progression tools—like load and activity tracking charts or return-to-stage timelines—as part of your rehab plan. In other cases, we may collaborate with your physician and recommend trusted professionals in our network, such as:

• Performing arts-informed mental health counselors

• Specialized dietitians or fueling coaches

• Voice or technique coaches

• Other medical providers who may be vital to your recovery

We believe in a team-based approach that respects your unique path. Our goal is to help you return to the stage stronger, smarter, and supported.

You're Not Alone

Medical leave can be physically and emotionally challenging—but you're not in this alone. Our team understands the unique demands of performing artists, and we’re here to guide, support, and empower you every step of the way.

When you're ready to return, we want you not just back—but ready for the spotlight.