Sports therapy

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

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

Sports therapist is a distinct occupational title that applies to a clearly defined scope of practice.

A sports therapist is an allied health 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, occupational & competitive environment.

 – assess, treat, rehabilitate and, where and if appropriate, refer on for specialist advice and intervention.

 – provide appropriate soft tissue interventions in a sport and exercise context.

 – plan and implement appropriate rehabilitation and return to training/work programmes.