Sports therapist

Sports therapists prevent injury and help people return to full performance if they have been injured. They don’t just work with injured athletes – sports therapy can help people of any age or ability. Therapists use their knowledge of sports and exercise science to prepare people for training and competition, as well as everyday life and work.

Also known as:

Graduate sports rehabilitator

Work activities

Sports therapists give advice on preventing injury. They also examine and treat injuries and rehabilitate people back to fitness both for sport and everyday life, including work. Sports therapists are specialists in the musculoskeletal system, being able to diagnose and treat a range of conditions, including strains, sprains, tennis elbow and frozen shoulder.

Sports therapy isn’t just about working with injured sports professionals. Therapists can help people of any age or ability. Patients might not be involved in sport – the therapy can help anyone who’s involved in physical activity. For example, non-sports people might see a sports therapist for relief from muscular pain caused by injury, poor posture or repetitive strain. When they first meet a patient, therapists examine and observe them to assess the problem. This could involve watching how the patient walks (their gait), testing joints for range of movement, and feeling for tightness in muscle fibres. Therapists use their knowledge of sports and exercise science, including biomechanics, physiology and pathology. Having observed the patient, they put together a programme to treat their specific problem, taking into account which sport the person is involved in. This could involve training them in exercises to increase strength, flexibility or stamina, or teaching ways to reduce the risk of injury. In some cases, they will refer the patient to a medical specialist.

Rehabilitation could involve:

Using massage to correct muscular imbalance.
Exercises to strengthen muscles and joints.
Helping the patient to stretch.
Electrotherapy.
Manual therapy.
Therapeutic ultrasound.

Therapists don’t just deal with physical things to do with the body; they also help people deal with the emotional effects of sports injuries. Therapists help people to prepare for sports training and competition. They give advice on how to train to improve performance and avoid injury. For example, massage before events helps to avoid tight muscles and hamstrings. In running, tight hamstrings reduce stride length, meaning that the runner has to put in more effort. In swimming, tight muscles restrict flexibility and lead to less efficient strokes.

Mental preparation.
Massage.
Strapping and taping to prevent injury and provide support.
Stretching, warming up and cooling down.

Sports therapists are trained to give first aid during events. They examine injuries and give their opinion on whether the sportsperson can continue. Afterwards, they examine injuries and deal with problems such as cuts, bruises and blisters. For more serious injuries, they decide whether to refer the sportsperson for emergency treatment or to a healthcare specialist at a later date. Sports therapists might combine therapy with other sports-related work, for example, as a personal trainer or fitness instructor. Some therapists are qualified to give advice on diet and nutrition for sport.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a sports therapist, you’ll need:

Good communication skills, including the ability to listen.
Hand skills for giving massage and using equipment such as therapeutic ultrasound.
Empathy and the ability to help people deal with the emotional effects of injury.
The ability to keep accurate records.
Problem-solving skills.
Good judgement, to decide when to refer a patient to a medical specialist.

Many sports therapists are self-employed and so need the skills to run their own business.

Pay and opportunities

Earnings for self-employed sports therapists vary depending on the number of clients they see. Sports therapists can expect to earn between £24,000 and £45,000 – many are self-employed and bill hourly instead of receiving a salary.

Self-employed sports therapists may choose their hours of work to suit their clients. Some therapists, for example those working in gyms and with sports teams, might need to be available at weekends or during the evening. Employed sports therapists can expect to work 38-40 hours per week; again, with evening and weekend hours.

Sports therapists can be employed full- or part-time. When self-employed, they often set up and run their own sports injury clinic or providing freelance massage and treatment services in places like leisure centres, gyms and hotels (often working part-time in more than one place). There are opportunities in:

Sports injury clinics.
Professional and amateur sports clubs.
Health clubs, leisure centres, hotels and gyms.

Sports therapists can also teach in colleges and at university level.

Where are vacancies advertised?

You can find job adverts on the websites of the Society of Sports Therapists and UK Sport; job boards; in sports magazines; and on the Government’s Find a Job service. Many posts are not advertised, so work experience, networking and “word of mouth” recommendations are important.

Entry routes and training

At the moment, anyone can call themselves a “sports therapist” and you don’t need qualifications to enter this career. However, it’s very important to demonstrate to employers and the people you treat that you are properly qualified and insured. Members of the Society of Sports Therapists have the right level of competence and knowledge to be covered by professional indemnity insurance. Members have to commit to continuing professional development (CPD). To become a member, you’ll need:

A degree or postgraduate qualification in sports therapy from a university or college that the Society works with. Graduates from other course providers might be accepted as uninsured members.
Another course such as a recognised diploma.
A foundation degree from a university that the Society works with, alongside a CPD portfolio.

You can find a list of recognised courses at all levels on the Society’s website. There are also graduate sports rehabilitators (GSRs). They specialise in musculoskeletal problems and rehabilitation. The British Association of Sports Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT) is the professional body for this career. To become a GSR, you’ll need an approved degree. You can find a list of approved courses on the BASRaT website. Sports therapists who have trained to the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for sports therapy can register with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) or the General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapies (GRCCT). At the moment, registration is voluntary. However, having your name on one or both of these registers will help you show your clients that you are properly trained and competent to practise.

You might need to take Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to keep up your membership of a professional body and your insurance. For example, the Society of Sports Therapists runs an annual CPD scheme which members must complete before they can reregister.

Although it’s possible to begin in a paid full-time post, many sports therapists start out part-time, building up a list of clients and working in several places. With experience, they might then set up their own sports injury or private health clinic. It is possible to specialise in a particular area of sports therapy, for example, post-surgery rehabilitation or chronic pain management. Some sports therapists move into teaching or research.

Qualifications

For entry to a degree in sports therapy, you’ll usually need:

Two A-levels, including at least one science subject (usually biology) or physical education.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.

A further two to four GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English and maths. Entry to a foundation degree in sports therapy might be with one A-level. Biology and physical education are relevant subjects. For degree and foundation degree entry, equivalent qualifications such as BTEC level 3 Nationals and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, might be acceptable for entry. Please check prospectuses carefully. To enter a recognised diploma course, there are usually no set entry requirements.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Relevant work experience includes involvement in sports teams, clubs and community sports events.

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