Sports therapist

You would help people to take part in professional sport safely and effectively. You’d help them overcome injuries and get back to top performance.

You would help sports professionals prepare for training and competitions so they will be able to do their best.

You’d work with the athletes to prevent injuries, using techniques such as:

• Testing their fitness levels

• Doing exercises to strengthen muscles

• Checking they do an effective warm-up

• Improving their cool-down routine after exercise

You’d help your clients understand more about their body and how to look after it so they can meet the demands of their sport.

If one of the sportsmen or women you work with is injured you’d work with them on a rehabilitation programme to safely get them back up to optimum fitness.

You would:

• Suggest specific exercises for the person

• Do sports massage

• Manipulate and move their muscles and joints

• Use physiotherapy techniques

• Schedule sessions of hydrotherapy, or sessions in a sauna or steam room

• Refer them to a physiotherapist or doctor for specialist treatment.

It would be important to encourage them to continue with their treatment even when they may be frustrated about the progress of their recovery or anxious about their career.

Sometimes you might be required to give first aid to sportsmen and women on the spot at matches and events.

You’d work closely with coaches, physiotherapists and sports scientists.

• Society of Sports Therapists - Education page with access to details of courses accredited by the Society