ATP guide · After physio
What comes after physio? Strength training after injury in Cork
Physio got you moving again. Then you were discharged, still not quite strong, still a bit wary of the injured bit, and not sure what to do next. That gap is what we fill. Our personal trainers build 30-minute sessions that pick up where rehab left off at our Douglas and Ballincollig gyms, following your physio's plan.
After injury
The gap between physio and full strength
Physio gets you out of pain and moving. Getting properly strong again is a separate job, and it is the one most people never finish.
Pick up where rehab left off
Bring your physio exercises and the plan you were given. We fold them into a proper programme and keep progressing them instead of letting them fizzle out.
The whole body, not just the injury
A bad knee or shoulder does not have to mean months of nothing. We train everything else hard so you come back fitter than before, not just repaired.
Loading you can trust
The injured area is rebuilt with small, steady steps in load. That is what turns a healed injury into a strong one, and it is what stops it happening again.
Confidence in the joint
Guarding an old injury is normal and it holds people back for years. Coached, progressive loading is how you stop protecting it and start using it.
Working with your physio
Whatever range, load or timing rules you have been given, we work inside them. We are happy to talk to your physio directly if that helps.
Every kind of injury
ACL and ankle rehab, shoulders, backs, hips, hamstrings, post-surgery. Sports injuries and the ordinary kind. If you have been cleared to train, we can build around it.
How it works
Getting strong again after an injury
Most physio ends when you can do the everyday things again: walk without a limp, reach the top shelf, get through a day without pain. That is a great outcome and it is also, for most people, about halfway. The muscle around an injury is usually weaker than it was, the movement is often guarded, and the fitness you had before is gone. Left there, injuries come back.
The second half is coached strength training: rebuilding the muscle, restoring the movement, and progressing the load until the injured area is not just healed but stronger than before. Physios know this. It is why so many of them send people to us.
What a session looks like
You train 1:2, one coach and two clients, each on your own programme, for 30 minutes. We start from your physio's plan and your current limits, build the movements that matter for your injury, and train the rest of your body properly at the same time. Load goes up in small steps as the injured area tolerates it. Tell your coach how it feels at the start of every session and the plan adjusts.
Sports injuries and getting back to your sport
If you are coming back to GAA, rugby, soccer, running or anything else, the last stage is about strength, power and confidence under load, which is exactly what a gym is for. Our strength and conditioning page covers the sport-specific side, and if it is a knee or hip replacement rather than an injury, our joint replacement page is the one to read.
What we are not
We are not physiotherapists and we are not a substitute for rehab. If you are still in pain, still in treatment or have not been cleared to train, see your physio or GP first. Once you have been, we take it from there.
Getting started
Your first session is free. Claim it below and tell us about the injury and where you are with it in the form or when we ring. It is a real coached 30-minute session at Douglas or Ballincollig, no card and no commitment. If it is your back, our back pain page goes into that in more detail.
Memberships & pricing
Simple, flexible pricing
Personal training from €20.56 a session on a rolling membership, €35 pay as you go, and no-expiry packs from €289. See full pricing →
FAQ
After injury questions
If yours is not here, give us a ring. We would rather talk it through.
My physio has discharged me. Why do I still feel weak?
Because physio usually finishes when you can do everyday things again, which is well before you are strong. Rebuilding the muscle and the confidence is the next stage, and it is what we do.
Will you follow my physio's plan?
Yes. Bring the exercises and any limits you have been given and we build the programme around them. We are happy to talk to your physio directly if that helps.
Can I train the rest of my body while the injury heals?
Almost always, yes, and you should. Training the rest of you keeps your fitness and mood up and means you come back stronger overall, not just repaired.
I am nervous about hurting it again. Is that normal?
Completely. Guarding an old injury is the most common thing we see. Coached, progressive loading is how that fear goes away, because you feel the joint getting stronger week by week.
What kinds of injuries do you work with?
ACL and other knee injuries, ankles, shoulders, backs, hips, hamstrings, post-surgery, and the ordinary pulls and strains. If you have been cleared to train, we can build around it.
Is it a class or personal training?
Personal training, 1:2. One coach with two clients, each on their own programme, so the injured area gets exactly the work it needs.
How much does it cost?
Rolling memberships start at €179 every 4 weeks for two sessions a week, and our no-expiry packs never lapse. Your first session is free, no card and no commitment.
From our members
From members who started where you are
In their own words, straight from Google.
"Love this place since I joined a few weeks ago. The staff are so helpful and there’s a great atmosphere. They have really helped my ACL rehab. I have noticed loads of mental and physical changes, even after a few short weeks. Would highly recommend."
"It's rare you can join a gym where every trainer is equally as knowledgeable and committed to you achieving your goal. The support I have received over the last few months is 2nd to none, recovering from injury while maintaining strength, accountability when needed and overall positivity."
"Definitely Cork’s friendliest gym! I was a complete novice coming in with an ankle injury, but now I’m somebody who looks forward to my PT sessions every week."
"I was recommended ATP fitness by my physiotherapist. I am thrilled and to be honest relieved that I have joined ATP Fitness. I am in control of my strength and cardio fitness now and the only way is up."
Talk to a coach
Want to talk it through?
If you'd like a chat about training around an injury, leave your details and one of our coaches will give you a ring. No pressure and nothing to sign up to.
ATP Fitness App
Manage your sessions on the go
Book your PT & classes straight from your phone, manage your membership and top up credits any time.
Find us
Two locations across Cork
Douglas
2nd Floor, Unit A1, Donnybrook Commercial Centre, Donnybrook, Cork City
Tel: 087 649 4134
Mon-Thurs: 6:30am - 8:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Ballincollig
Unit 1A, Link Road Business Park, Carrigrohane, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
Tel: 085 725 2370
Mon-Thurs: 6:30am - 8:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed