What Is Sports Therapy?

Sports Therapy is an aspect of healthcare that is specifically concerned with the prevention of injury and the rehabilitation of the patient back to optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness, regardless of age and ability.

It utilises the principles of sport and exercise sciences incorporating physiological and pathological processes to prepare the participant for training, competition and where applicable, work.

A Sports Therapist is a healthcare professional who has the knowledge, skills and ability to:

• Utilise sports and exercise principles to optimise performance, preparation and injury prevention programmes

• Provide the immediate care of injuries and basic life support in a recreational, training & competitive environment

• Assess, treat and, where appropriate, refer on for specialist advice and intervention.

• Provide appropriate sport and remedial massage in a sport & exercise context

• Plan and implement appropriate rehabilitation programmes

The spectrum of expertise that a Member of The Society of Sports Therapists must possess is built within five key areas of competency related to injury and illness in the sport and exercise environment. These are:

• Prevention

• Recognition & evaluation

• Management, treatment & referral

• Rehabilitation

• Education & professional practice issues

(Society of Sports Therapists, September 2013)