Orca Sports Rehab

Pain can shrink your world fast.

For Evan, back pain and leg tendon pain had made running feel out of reach. But the goal was not just to calm symptoms down — it was to build a way back.

After working with the team at Orca Sports Rehab, Evan was running again within a couple visits. From there, he went on to run his first half marathon in years, set a PR, and build confidence with safe strength training.

That’s what good rehab should do: connect pain relief to real life again.

Move past pain. Rebuild capacity. Return ready.

Orca Sports Rehab
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Returning to pickleball after plantar fasciitis takes more than waiting for pain to calm down.

For Hector, the plan means rebuilding the capacity the sport actually demands: foot and calf loading, single-leg control, court footwork, power, and shoulder capacity for reaching, rotating, and swinging.

Return to sport should look like the sport you’re returning to.

Orca Sports Rehab
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(206) 324-5433

Back to sport after ACL surgery takes more than checking boxes — it takes progressive loading, clear guidance, and a plan that matches the athlete.

This recent review says it well: the goal isn’t just getting through rehab, it’s feeling confident enough to play again.

Proud to help patients rebuild strength, trust their knee, and return to the activities they care about.

Orca Sports Rehab
orcasportsrehab.com
(206) 324-5433

A short review, but a powerful one.

“Dr. Tello saved my life… I couldn’t walk after hurting my back and he got me back and stronger.”

That’s the kind of outcome we’re working toward: less fear, more capacity, and a body you can trust again.

Orca Sports Rehab
orcasportsrehab.com
(206) 324-5433

Pistol squats are impressive — especially for a recovering athlete.

For Jen, knee rehab was progressing, but ankle mobility was limiting her ability to access a full pistol squat on the injured side.

Today’s session focused on making that ankle range usable: banded mobility, slant-board knees-over-toes control, added load, and weighted step-ups to finish strong.

Targeted rehab should feel challenging, specific, and worth the time invested.

Orca Sports Rehab
Progress your rehab like an athlete.

After a complicated injury, the goal is not just to move without pain.

The goal is to rebuild capacity — step by step — until the body can tolerate real work again.

Branon’s progress is a reminder of what consistent effort, coached loading, and a clear plan can make possible.

If an injury is keeping you from training, competing, or trusting your body under load, the Orca Sports Rehab team can help you build back with purpose.

Start here:
orcasportsrehab.com
(206) 324-5433

Training for a goal doesn’t have to mean doing the same thing every day.

Whether you’re preparing for a race, returning from injury, or trying to stay active long-term, the right kind of variety can help keep training more sustainable.

A climb toward Camp Muir on Mount Rainier is not “Ironman training” by itself — but it can support the bigger picture: aerobic capacity, leg endurance, balance, foot and ankle resilience, and confidence moving under fatigue.

The key is matching the activity to the person, the goal, and the current stage of training.

At Orca, we help patients build that bridge: from rehab, to strength, to the real-world activities they care about.

Train with purpose.
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Deadlifts aren’t the enemy — guessing your setup is.

In this coaching moment, Dr. Tello breaks down the difference between turning a deadlift into a squat versus loading the hinge the way it’s meant to work.

A few key ideas:
• keep the bar close
• hinge from the hips
• brace before you move
• keep the neck neutral
• load the glutes and hamstrings — not just the quads

When coached well, the deadlift can be one of the most useful tools for building strength, resilience, and confidence.

If deadlifts feel intimidating, get coached before you load heavy.

Orca Sports Rehab
orcasportsrehab.com
(206) 324-5433

Jefferson curls are not the starting point for back rehab.

They can be useful later — when symptoms are calmer, basic strength is back, and the person is ready to rebuild tolerance to spinal flexion under load.

At that stage, the goal is not to force range or prove toughness. It is controlled exposure: light weight, slow tempo, tolerable range, and steady progression.

That is the difference between doing an exercise because it looks advanced and using it as part of a thoughtful rehab-to-strength plan.

If you are recovering from a back injury and want a plan that helps you move, lift, and train with confidence again, Orca Sports Rehab can help.

orcasportsrehab.com
(206) 324-5433

Running pain-free again after a metatarsal stress fracture is a big milestone — but the goal is not just to “get back.” It is to rebuild capacity.

Shelby is recovering from a recent metatarsal stress fracture while also continuing the longer-term work from a previous bimalleolar fracture and ankle surgery.

In this session with Dr. Belanger, she is:
• deadlifting more than bodyweight
• running pain free for the first time
• loading the Achilles and foot with strength work
• loading into dorsiflexion that has been sensitive since surgery
• progressing plyometrics for her home program

That is what return-to-sport rehab should look like: smart loading, clear progressions, and confidence that the foot and ankle can handle real training again.

If foot or ankle pain is keeping you from running, lifting, or getting back to sport, Orca can help you build the next step.

(206) 324-5433
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