Personal Training After Physical Therapy
In Denver Colorado
Physical therapy is supposed to get you better. But a lot of people finish PT feeling like they're about 80% of the way there.
You can walk without limping. The pain is mostly gone. Your visits ran out, you got a sheet of home exercises, and you were sent on your way. But you still don't fully trust that knee, shoulder, or back, and you're not sure what you're actually allowed to do.
At Get Back PT + Performance, post-rehab personal training is built for exactly that gap. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy and strength coach, I help people in Denver pick up where rehab left off and keep going until they feel strong and confident again.
Why Physical Therapy Often Ends Too Early
Here's the problem with the traditional model. Insurance based physical therapy usually stops once you hit "medically necessary," which often lands somewhere around 80% back to normal. You can do daily tasks, so your benefits run out.
But daily tasks aren't the goal for most people. You want to run again, lift again, ski, hike, play with your kids, or just stop thinking about your injury every time you move. That last 20% is where most people get stuck, and it's where a lot of reinjuries happen.
Is Post-Rehab Personal Training Right for You?
This is a good fit if:
You recently finished physical therapy but don't feel back to 100%
Your PT visits or insurance coverage ran out before you were done
You're not sure which exercises are safe to do now
You're nervous about going back to the gym on your own
Your injured side still feels weaker than the other side
You want to keep your injury from coming back
It doesn't matter where you did your physical therapy. We can pick up from any clinic's plan.
What Happens When the Exercise Stops
A lot of people stop doing their home exercises once physical therapy ends. That's normal, and it's one reason problems come back.
Research on back pain shows this pretty clearly. A large review (Steffens et al., 2016) found that exercise combined with education reduced the risk of another episode of low back pain by about 45% over a year, but the protective effect faded once people stopped. Strength is something you keep by using it.
Post-rehab training turns your rehab into a long term plan you'll actually stick with.
How We Train After Physical Therapy
We start where your rehab left off. We review your injury, surgery if you had one, what your physical therapy covered, and where you still feel limited.
Your plan may include:
Strength testing to see where you still have gaps
Progressive strength training that goes beyond your home exercise sheet
Gradual return to the movements and activities you've been avoiding
Full body training, not just the injured area
Exercise swaps on days something feels off, so you keep making progress
A plan to keep you training on your own over the long term
If something flares up along the way, you're working with a physical therapist, so we can adjust right away instead of sending you back to square one.
Same Team From Rehab to Strong
Most people finish PT at one place and then start over with a trainer somewhere else who has never seen their injury. At Get Back, physical therapy and personal training happen under one roof, so the person coaching you understands your injury and your training.
If you're an athlete trying to get back to your sport, take a look at our return to sport training as well.
Related reading: Physical Therapist vs. Personal Trainer: Why You Might Need Both · How Do I Know If I Need Personal Training or Physical Therapy?
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Training After Physical Therapy
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Keep training. The strength and confidence you built in physical therapy fade if you stop. A progressive strength program that picks up where rehab left off is one of the best ways to keep making progress and lower your risk of reinjury.
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Yes, as long as the trainer understands your injury and progresses you appropriately. At Get Back, your training is led by a Doctor of Physical Therapy, so your injury history is part of the plan.
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It's personal training designed for people who have finished physical therapy but aren't fully back to their previous level. It bridges the gap between rehab and normal training.
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Yes. That's one of the most common reasons people come to us. We can continue your progress through personal training, which doesn't require insurance or a referral.
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No. We work with people who did physical therapy anywhere. It helps if you can share what your rehab covered, but it isn't required.
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Common ones include back pain, neck pain, knee and ACL injuries, shoulder injuries and surgeries, hip injuries, ankle sprains, and joint replacements.
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Return to sport training focuses on athletes getting back to the demands of a specific sport. Post-rehab personal training is for anyone who wants to get strong and confident again after an injury, whether your goal is sport, the gym, or everyday life.
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Yes. Get Back PT + Performance offers one-on-one post-rehab personal training at our Jefferson Park studio in Denver, close to Highlands, LoHi, and Sloan's Lake, with in-home and virtual options available.
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No. Personal training does not require a referral.
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Post-rehab personal training is priced the same as our regular personal training sessions. You can find current pricing on our personal training page.
Our Team
Dr. Brett Green
Founder | Physical Therapist & Personal Trainer
Brett Green, PT, DPT, is the founder of Get Back PT & Performance in Denver. He created Get Back to bridge the gap between rehab and getting back to the things people actually enjoy, whether that’s running, lifting, sports, or everyday life.
His approach combines physical therapy, strength training, and performance to help clients feel better, get stronger, and keep moving forward.
Physical Therapist Assistant
Sam Heller
Sam Heller is a Physical Therapist Assistant and Personal Trainer with more than a decade of coaching experience. He combines strength training and rehab to help clients move better, build confidence, and stay active, especially when pain or uncertainty around exercise gets in the way.
Outside of work, Sam enjoys biking, lifting, and keeping up with his young son.
Get Back to Doing What You Love
Whether you want to return to the gym, running, hiking, skiing, sports, or simply get through your day more comfortably, we’ll help you figure out a plan that makes sense.