Kiersten Hilland, MPT — Physiotherapist in Winnipeg | Elite Sports Injury Clinics
Kiersten Hilland is a registered physiotherapist at Elite Sports Injury Clinics in Bridgwater, Winnipeg, holding a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) and a Bachelor of Kinesiology (B.Kin) — both from the University of Manitoba.
Kiersten specializes in knee rehabilitation across all ages and activity levels, post-surgical recovery including ACL reconstruction and joint replacement, neck pain and headache management, and sports injury rehabilitation.
She brings genuine passion for helping patients return to the activities they love, backed by a deep personal connection to sport as a competitive Ultimate Frisbee player at the World Championship level and a half-marathon runner.
Credentials & Education
Kiersten completed both her Bachelor of Kinesiology and Master of Physical Therapy at the University of Manitoba, giving her a strong foundation in human movement science and evidence-based clinical practice. Her kinesiology background provides a thorough understanding of sport biomechanics, exercise physiology, and movement analysis that complements her physiotherapy training.
She is completing her Acupuncture certification in fall 2026, which will further expand her treatment toolkit.
Her personal athletic background in competitive Ultimate Frisbee — including World Championship competition — and distance running gives her direct experiential insight into sport-related injury and performance-focused recovery that most clinicians cannot match.
Core Techniques
Kiersten’s treatment approach integrates orthopedic manual therapy with progressive exercise therapy to restore function across the full recovery spectrum — from acute injury management through to sport-specific performance.
Manual therapy at Elite Sports Injury Clinics includes:
- Joint mobilizations — graded accessory movements to restore restricted joint mechanics and reduce pain neuromuscularly
- Soft tissue massage — releases myofascial tension and improves tissue extensibility for better movement quality
- Cupping — creates negative pressure to lift soft tissue, increase local blood flow, and reduce chronic muscle tension and fascial restriction
- Trigger point release — applies sustained mechanical pressure to hyperirritable points in muscle to produce an analgesic response and restore normal muscle length
Kiersten’s exercise therapy approach uses kettlebell progressions and return-to-sport-specific movement training to build the functional strength and neuromuscular control patients need to perform — not just move without pain. She begins with foundational movement patterns and advances systematically based on objective strength milestones and functional testing.
Patient education is central from day one: understanding how to stay active during rehabilitation, how to manage training load without aggravating tissue, and when it is safe to progress. This approach is particularly effective for athletes, post-surgical patients, and youth patients — populations where managing load alongside tissue healing produces faster and more durable outcomes than passive-dominated treatment models.
Conditions & Injuries Treated
- Knee pain and injury — patellofemoral pain syndrome, IT band syndrome, meniscal injuries, knee osteoarthritis, ACL rehabilitation, and post-surgical knee recovery
- Post-surgical rehabilitation — ACL reconstruction, hip and knee replacement, and back surgery; structured progressive programs from post-operative function through full return to daily life and sport
- Neck pain and headaches — whiplash and MPI injuries, workplace injuries, sports injuries, and posture-related conditions
- Sports injuries — ankle sprains, muscle strains, tendinopathies, shin splints, and overuse injuries across all sports
- Back pain — chronic and acute low back pain, disc conditions, and sciatica
- Shoulder pain — rotator cuff conditions, impingement, frozen shoulder, and post-surgical recovery
- WCB workplace injuries and MPI motor vehicle accident rehabilitation — in Winnipeg
- Fibromyalgia and chronic pain — patient-guided, graduated movement programming
Kiersten has a special interest in athletes of all levels and post-surgical patients — populations where functional movement expertise and progressive exercise programming produce the most significant outcomes.
Clinical Approach & Philosophy
Kiersten believes physiotherapy is most effective when patient and therapist work together — meeting the patient where they are at and building a treatment plan that is both patient-guided and patient-specific. Her philosophy centres on returning patients to full function through exercise, manual therapy, and education — not passive treatment alone.
A first appointment begins with a detailed subjective interview to fully understand the patient’s presentation, which guides the physical assessment: range of motion, strength, functional movements, and activity-specific movements to reach a diagnosis. Kiersten explains the findings clearly, outlines the plan, and begins treatment — with exercises taught before the patient leaves so the recovery process starts immediately.
What patients consistently say about Kiersten is her passion and the genuine care she has for every person who walks through the door. She meets people where they are, recognizes that every patient needs a slightly different approach, and brings consistent energy and investment to every session.
Patient Outcomes
Kiersten’s most memorable recovery involved a young, highly motivated soccer player who came to her with bilateral knee pain so severe he had to stop playing — which was devastating to him.
Through manual therapy, short-term taping, and a dedicated progressive exercise program, the patient returned to soccer feeling stronger and more stable than before his injury. He has since been selected for the provincial team — a milestone he had been worried he would miss entirely because of his injury.
Personal & Community
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Kiersten has a deep personal connection to sport and movement. She played competitive Ultimate Frisbee for many years — including at the World Championship level — before transitioning to strength training and running, completing her first half-marathon in 2025.
This background gives her direct insight into the physical and emotional demands of athletic injury and recovery, and informs how she connects with patients who are working to return to sport. Outside the clinic, she is focused on staying active and helping others do the same.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Kiersten Hilland, treatment approach, and booking.
Kiersten Hilland, MPT, is a registered physiotherapist at Elite Sports Injury Clinics in Bridgwater, Winnipeg. She holds a Master of Physical Therapy and a Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of Manitoba. Kiersten specializes in knee rehabilitation across all presentations, post-surgical recovery including ACL reconstruction and joint replacement, neck pain and headache management, and sports injury rehabilitation for athletes at all levels.
Yes. Kiersten Hilland at Elite Sports Injury Clinics Bridgwater provides post-surgical rehabilitation for ACL reconstruction, hip and knee replacement, back surgery, and other orthopaedic procedures. Her approach begins with a functional assessment of post-operative movement and strength, then progresses through manual therapy and staged exercise rehabilitation. Most post-surgical patients return to their target activities pain-free with improved strength compared to pre-surgery.
Kiersten Hilland at Elite Sports Injury Clinics Bridgwater assesses knee pain using functional movement testing, strength evaluation, and orthopaedic testing to identify the specific condition and its contributors. Treatment combines manual therapy — including joint mobilization, soft tissue work, and cupping — with progressive exercise targeting hip strength, quadriceps, and neuromuscular control. She treats patellofemoral pain, IT band syndrome, meniscal injuries, knee osteoarthritis, ACL injuries, and post-surgical knee recovery.
Yes. Kiersten Hilland at Elite Sports Injury Clinics Bridgwater treats whiplash and MPI motor vehicle accident injuries alongside workplace injury neck pain, sports-related neck conditions, and postural neck pain. Assessment includes cervical mobility, strength, and dizziness screening. Treatment combines manual therapy, trigger point release, and soft tissue work with an individualized exercise program. Most patients experience meaningful improvement in pain, range of motion, and function.
Kiersten Hilland is accepting new patients at Elite Sports Injury Clinics in Bridgwater, Winnipeg. No referral required. Book at physiowinnipeg.com or call the Bridgwater clinic. Kiersten treats knee injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation, neck pain, sports injuries, back pain, shoulder conditions, WCB workplace injuries, and MPI motor vehicle accident cases across all ages and activity levels.