PROTOCOL · APEX-RR-04 · UPDATED IN-SEASON

RECOVER LIKE YOUR
SEASON DEPENDS ON IT.

Recovery isn't passive. It's a protocol. Pre-event prep, in-season maintenance, post-competition flush, return-to-play — every phase has a stack, a metric, and a deadline. Below is exactly how we build it for the athletes who train under our roof, from CrossFit competitors to UFC contenders to weekend trail runners with a Western States ticket.

THE FOUR PHASES

Phase-Specific Recovery Protocols

Recovery is a training variable. Mismanage it and your work capacity drops, your throughput collapses, and your nervous system spends the season fried. We dose it the way a strength coach doses load — by phase, by athlete, by signal.

Phase 01 · Prep

T-minus 72 hrs

Pre-Event Loading & Mobility Prep

Goal: arrive at competition with full ROM, primed neural drive, and minimal residual soft-tissue tension. Three sessions in the 72 hours before a meet, fight, race, or game — none of them new, none of them aggressive.

Dynamic warmup template (RAMP protocol)
RPR (Reflexive Performance Reset) wake-up drills
Joint-by-joint mobility audit + CARs
Light soft-tissue release — no Graston
Sport-specific dynamic activation
Sleep hygiene + 8+ hour minimum
Hydration + electrolyte loading (pre-fight cuts excluded)
Adjustment of restricted segments only

Phase 02 · Maintain

Weekly · In-Season

In-Season Maintenance Cadence

Goal: protect throughput. Manage the wear-and-tear that accumulates between competitions without disrupting training adaptation. One to two visits per week, dialed against training load.

Adjustment of axial + extremity restrictions
ART or Graston on the dominant strain pattern
Dry needling for stubborn trigger sites
Targeted mobility homework (5–8 min/day)
HRV monitoring review (optional)
Sleep + nutrition check-in
Travel-day protocol adjustment as needed
Co-management with strength coach

Phase 03 · Flush

0–24 hrs post

Post-Competition Flush & Recovery

Goal: clear metabolic load, downregulate the sympathetic spike, and reset for the next training block. We book a Phase-3 session within 24 hours of competition whenever the schedule allows.

NormaTec full-body compression (60 min)
Soft-tissue work — slow, parasympathetic-biased
Cupping for stubborn fascial densification
Cold plunge / contrast (optional)
Light decompression for compressive sports
Breathwork down-regulation protocol
Hydration + protein refeed plan
Sleep priority for 48 hrs minimum

Phase 04 · RTP

Post-Injury

Return-to-Play Progression

Goal: get you back faster than the standard protocol — without the relapse rate that comes with rushing. Every athlete clears five RTP criteria before we sign off, no exceptions.

Full pain-free ROM at the injured joint
≥ 90% strength symmetry vs. contralateral
Sport-specific functional testing pass
Plyometric load tolerance (3-tier)
Sport-specific scrimmage / contact clearance
Mental readiness — patient self-rated 8/10+
Documented co-sign from coach or trainer
BFR + tempo work for residual atrophy

THE STACK

Modalities Under One Roof

Every modality below is in-house. No referrals out. No "you'll need to see someone else for that." The point of training and recovering at Apex is single-roof throughput — show up tight, leave loose, get back to the work.

MOD-01

ART® · Active Release

Hands-on soft-tissue technique that breaks up adhesions between muscle, fascia, and nerve. Best for chronic overuse patterns, post-strain scar tissue, and entrapments. Our team holds full-body ART certifications.

Best for · IT band, hamstring scar, TOS

MOD-02

Graston / IASTM

Instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization for stubborn tendinopathies and fascial restriction. Achilles, patellar tendon, plantar fascia, lateral epicondyle — the cases that don't budge with hands alone.

Best for · Tendinopathy, fascial densification

MOD-03

Dry Needling

Trigger-point and motor-point needling for taut bands that refuse to release. We use it sparingly and surgically — typically on the upper trap, glute med, soleus, and rotator-cuff insertions.

Best for · Refractory trigger points

MOD-04

Cupping & MyoFlossing

Decompressive soft-tissue work — opposite of traditional massage. Useful for densified fascia in throwers, climbers, and grapplers. Bruising is expected and not the goal.

Best for · Fascial decompression, low back

MOD-05

FMT Kinesio Taping

Sport-specific taping for AC joint, MCL, ankle inversion, and rotator cuff support. We tape so you can train, not so you can avoid training. Certified Rocktape FMT instructors on staff.

Best for · Game-day stabilization

MOD-06

Blood-Flow Restriction (BFR)

Personalized-pressure occlusion training at 40–80% LOP. Lets you drive hypertrophy and tendon adaptation at 20–30% 1RM — invaluable in late-stage rehab when heavy load isn't tolerable.

Best for · Post-op, late-stage rehab

MOD-07

NormaTec Compression

Sequential pneumatic compression. Standard 30 or 60-minute flush sessions post-event. Bookable separately or stacked onto any treatment.

Best for · Post-competition recovery

MOD-08

Spinal & Extremity Adjustment

High-velocity, low-amplitude work delivered by sport-physician-trained chiropractors. We adjust shoulders, hips, ankles, and wrists with the same precision as the spine.

Best for · Restricted segments, post-game

MOD-09

FRC / Kinstretch Mobility

CARs, PAILs/RAILs, and end-range isometrics for active mobility gains that carry over to sport. Group Kinstretch classes Tuesday and Thursday for members.

Best for · Active ROM, joint capsule work

RETURN-TO-PLAY

The Five-Stage RTP Progression

No athlete leaves rehab without clearing every box on the table below. We co-sign with your strength coach and your sport's medical staff. If you don't clear the stage, you don't progress — period.

Stage

Capacity Marker

Modalities

Clearance

Acute / Protect. Days 0–7. Manage pain and inflammation, protect tissue.

Soft-tissue, gentle ROM, NormaTec, light decompression.

VAS pain ≤ 4/10 at rest.

ROM restoration. Days 7–21. Reclaim pain-free range, begin neuromuscular activation.

Joint mobilization, ART, FRC CARs, isometrics.

Full pain-free ROM, no swelling at rest.

Load tolerance. Week 3–6. Progressive resistance, eccentric emphasis, BFR if indicated.

Heavy slow resistance, BFR, Graston on chronic tendons.

≥ 90% strength symmetry, isokinetic if available.

Power & plyometric. Week 5–8. Reactive strength, rate-of-force development, sport-specific loading.

Plyometric progressions, on-field reactive drills.

3-tier plyo battery passed, no symptoms 24 hrs post.

RTP clearance. Sport-specific scrimmage and contact, mental readiness, coach sign-off.

Functional movement screen, sport simulation, FMT tape for game day.

Coach + athlete + clinician three-way sign-off.

WHO WE WORK WITH

Sports & Athletes We Specialize In

Every sport has a strain pattern. Distance runners blow up at the hip and ankle. Throwers compress at the shoulder and elbow. Grapplers eat neck and hip. Knowing the pattern is half the work.

CrossFit · shoulder, hip, lumbar

Baseball · UCL, shoulder, lumbar

Golf · thoracic, lead hip, lumbar

Hockey · adductor, sports hernia, hip

MMA / BJJ · neck, finger, knee

Distance Running · ITB, plantar, hip

Cycling · low back, knee, sit-bone

Triathlon · multi-modal load mgmt

Climbing · pulley, elbow, shoulder

Powerlifting · hip, lumbar, shoulder

Olympic Lifting · wrist, thoracic, hip

Surfing · shoulder, lumbar, neck

Soccer · groin, hamstring, ankle

Tennis · elbow, shoulder, hip

FAQ

Athlete Questions, Answered Straight

How soon after competition should I book a flush session?

Within 24 hours if you can swing it. The window when NormaTec, soft-tissue work, and a downregulation protocol have the biggest impact is the first 12–18 hours post-event. We hold same-day post-competition slots Sunday and Monday for athletes who flag us ahead.

Will an adjustment hurt my training the next day?

No. We dose manual care so you can train. The exception is the 24 hours after a brand-new disc presentation or a high-grade joint sprain — in those cases, you shouldn't be training anyway. Otherwise, we adjust knowing you're back in the gym tomorrow.

Do I need to be a high-level athlete to come here?

No. The protocols above scale to weekend warriors, masters lifters, and rec-league players the same way they scale to D1 athletes. The mindset matters more than the tier. If you're trying to perform at your ceiling — whatever that ceiling is — you're in the right place.

Can you co-manage with my orthopedist / surgeon / strength coach?

Yes — we prefer it. We send progress notes to the entire care team and we don't run a competing show. If you're three weeks post-op on an ACL, we want your surgeon's protocol on file and your PT in the loop.

How does insurance work for sports recovery sessions?

Insurance covers diagnosis-driven care — adjustments, dry needling in some states, soft tissue work tied to a billable condition. Pure recovery modalities (NormaTec, cupping, BFR) are typically cash-pay or HSA-eligible. We're transparent about what bills and what doesn't at intake.

What does the first session look like?

Free 30-minute movement assessment. Movement screen, joint-by-joint capacity audit, sport-specific load history, and a build of your custom protocol. You leave with a written plan and a price for what comes next. No pressure, no upsell.

SHOW UP. DO THE WORK.
BACK ON THE FIELD.

Book the free movement assessment. We'll build your custom phase-by-phase recovery protocol and tell you exactly what it will take to get you back to peak.