“My physical therapy after shoulder surgery at Encore PT went smoothly, progressing from focus on range of motion and flexibility to strengthening when the repairs were suitably healed.”
Swimming and Triathlon Physical Therapy in Corvallis, Oregon
Sports injury rehab for swimmers and triathletes in Corvallis, Albany, Philomath, Newport, and the surrounding Benton and Linn County communities. We treat shoulder pain, hip and knee overuse, and the training-load problems that come from stacking three sports in one week.
- Evaluations within a couple of weeks, not months on a waiting list
- Direct access clinic. In Oregon you can usually start PT without a doctor's referral
- Medicare and most commercial insurance accepted. Cash pay available
- One-on-one evaluation with a licensed physical therapist, not a hand-off
Common Injuries We Treat
Swimming puts the shoulder through thousands of overhead rotations, and triathlon can't rest one discipline without loading another.
Shoulder and neck
- Rotator cuff and shoulder blade irritation
- A neck that stopped sharing the work
Triathlon
- Hip pain on the run that traces back to the bike or the kick
Who we see
- Masters and open-water swimmers
- First-time triathletes and athletes deep in a build
Not sure which of these describes what you're feeling? Call (541) 758-2235 and we'll talk it through.
Every condition we see, in detail
One-on-one evaluation with a licensed physical therapist, usually within a couple of weeks.
Swimmers put the shoulder through thousands of overhead rotations per session, and the shoulder is a joint built for mobility more than stability. When something in that chain gets irritated, whether it's the rotator cuff, the shoulder blade mechanics, or a neck that has stopped sharing the work, the pain usually shows up mid-set and then stops going away between sessions.
Triathletes have a different version of the same problem. You can't rest one discipline without loading another, and a hip that's cranky on the run often traces back to how you're sitting on the bike or how you're kicking. Reducing yardage rarely fixes it on its own, because the pattern that caused it is still there.
This page is for you if you're a masters swimmer, an open-water swimmer, a first-time triathlete, or someone deep into a race build who needs a plan that doesn't start with "stop training." We work with teens through adults in their nineties, and active adults who intend to still be swimming at 80 are exactly who this practice was built for.
What Care Looks Like at Encore
We look at the painful area and what's feeding it, then build the plan around your season.
- A one-on-one evaluation A licensed physical therapist examines the painful joint and how the joints above and below it are moving.
- Hands-on treatment Skilled joint and soft-tissue work, with heat, cold, ultrasound or taping when they help early on.
- Exercise that holds up under load Clinic and home exercise restores flexibility, strength and control where you're failing.
- Decisions you can make Plain-language education so you can make training decisions on your own between visits.
The hands-on techniques we use
Every plan starts with a one-on-one evaluation with a licensed physical therapist. Not a screening handed off to someone else, and not a printed sheet of exercises. We look at the painful area and at what's feeding it, then build the plan with you around the season and the events you're actually training for.
- A hands-on evaluation of the shoulder, neck, hip, knee, or ankle, including how the joints above and below are moving
- Manual therapy, meaning skilled hands-on joint and soft-tissue work. Our team draws on methods from Maitland, McKenzie, Kaltenborn, Mulligan, Strain Counterstrain, Muscle Energy, and the North American Institute of Manual Therapy
- Prescriptive exercise for the clinic and for home, aimed at restoring flexibility, strength, and control in the areas that are failing under load
- Therapeutic modalities where they help early on, such as heat or cold to calm pain and inflammation, ultrasound (deep heat delivered by sound waves), or electrical stimulation to improve muscle activity
- Taping when it supports healing or gives you feedback on positioning
- Plain-language education about what's happening in your body, so you can make training decisions on your own between visits
If your shoulder pain turns out to be post-surgical or you're heading toward a procedure, our rehabilitation page covers pre- and post-surgery care.
Who You’ll Work With
Your evaluation is done by a licensed physical therapist, and you see familiar faces through your plan of care rather than a new person each visit.
Chris Guempel, PT, MPT
owner, physical therapist since 2001, founded Encore in 2009
Kathy Lynch, PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy, continuing education in cervical, lumbopelvic and sports injuries, SFMA trainedNathan Smith, PT, MPT
physical therapist
Tiesha Oare, PTA
physical therapist assistant, joined Encore in 2020
Aaron Nobiletti, PTA
physical therapist assistant, background in exercise science
Credentials and training
Encore has been an independently owned practice in Corvallis since 2009, founded by Chris Guempel, PT, MPT, who has practiced physical therapy since 2001. Kathy Lynch, PT, DPT, earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of Colorado-Anschutz, has completed continuing education in cervical, lumbopelvic, and sports injuries, and is trained in the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), a system for finding the movement limitation behind the painful spot. Nathan Smith, PT, MPT, rounds out the therapist team, and PTAs Tiesha Oare and Aaron Nobiletti carry out treatment sessions day to day. Aaron has a particular interest in working with athletes.
Together the team brings more than 40 years of combined experience. We're members of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Corvallis Business Network, and we support local organizations including Friends of Corvallis Parks and Recreation, the Benton County Historical Society, and area high school programs.
Why patients choose Encore
The most practical reason is access. We can typically schedule an evaluation within a couple of weeks rather than months, which matters when you have a race on the calendar. Oregon is a direct access state, so you can usually start physical therapy without a doctor's referral. Call us and we'll check your plan on the phone.
The clinical reason is how we work. We don't chase symptoms, we teach people about their bodies and practice evidence-based care. Your treatment gets changed if you aren't improving, because the plan is built around your response, not a protocol.
Because triathlon is three sports, your plan may borrow from the same work we do on the cycling and running sides of the practice. The rest of our sport-specific care is listed on the sports medicine hub.
Read reviews in our patients' words
Every review on our Google Business Profile is public, unedited, and written by the people we've treated and cared for. We're honored to have received nearly 200 five-star reviews, and to have helped each of those people reach a health goal.
“She is an amazing PT and person, who listens carefully, has so much knowledge and is incredibly thoughtful in her approach to patients.”
“They are really nice people and they take their time you to make sure your feeling better then when you came in this has been a really good experience”
Questions Swimmers and Triathletes Ask
How soon can I get in for an evaluation?
We can typically schedule a new evaluation within a couple of weeks. Call (541) 758-2235 and reception will work with you on a time. If you reach out through the contact form, we try to get back to you within a business day.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No. Oregon allows direct access, which means you can self-refer and start physical therapy without a physician's referral. Some insurance plans still have their own requirements, so we'll check your specific plan when you call.
Will I have to stop swimming or training?
Not necessarily. We build the plan around keeping as much training as your body tolerates, and we'll be specific about what to modify, what to hold, and what to add. That conversation happens at the evaluation.
Do you take Medicare and commercial insurance?
Yes. We accept Medicare and most commercial plans, and cash pay is available. We won't guess at your out-of-pocket cost, but we will check your benefits and tell you what we find.
What happens at my first visit?
Your first visit is a one-on-one evaluation with a licensed physical therapist. We'll talk through what happened and what you want to get back to, look at how you move to find the source of the problem, and then explain what we found and what your plan looks like.
What should I bring?
Your insurance card and a photo ID, a list of the medications you take, and any paperwork from your surgeon or doctor, including post-op instructions or a referral if you have one. Wear clothes that let us see and move the area we're treating: shorts for a knee or hip, a loose shirt or tank top for a shoulder.
Where to Go Next
Ready When You Are
Get Back to Your Life
Recover stronger. Move better. Stay active. Whether you're recovering from surgery or an injury, managing chronic pain, or working to prevent future injuries, contact us today to get started.