Chris Gibson has joined Optimal Physio recently to work out of our Newton Mearns and Largs Clinics. Chris is the first Sports Therapist to join our team and we thought it would worth letting Chris introduce exactly what a sports therapist does and why he is such a good addition to our team.

Chris explains:

“What is Sports Therapy?” and “what is a Sports Therapist?” are questions I am asked frequently in my line of work. Many people have misconceptions of what a Sports Therapist is, and I have often been referred to as a Massage Therapist or Physiotherapist when people have seen me working. Therefore, I am writing this blog to inform people of what a Sports Therapist actually is, what they do, and how they can help you. 

What is a Sports Therapist?

A Sports Therapist is a healthcare professional who is able to assess, treat and rehabilitate individuals with neuromusculoskeletal injuries. A neuromusculoskeletal injury can be anything that affects any joint, muscle, tendon, ligament and nerve of the body, hence the common confusion between Physiotherapists and Sports Therapists as both are capable of treating these injuries and work in both sport and private practice. 

Another common misunderstanding is that Sports Therapists can only treat sports related injuries, whereas on the contrary they are more than capable of treating neuromusculoskeletal injuries that can occur through any aspect of life. However, they do have a strong sport and exercise science knowledge base and are capable of incorporating this knowledge into an injury rehabilitation programme. Therefore, this makes them ideal for treating those who have sustained an injury through sport and plan to return to their sport after injury. 

Furthermore, Sports Therapists within their scope of practice are also capable of implementing injury prevention programmes, as well as also being qualified in first aid as it is a mandatory requirement of the Society of Sports Therapists for practioner’s to have up to date training and certification. 

Finally, Sports Therapists are also all qualified in sports and remedial massage, which often causes them to be mistaken for Massage Therapists. However, this is just one of many treatment modalities that they are qualified to administer. 

I hope this post has clarified and answered any questions anyone may have in relation to Sports Therapy. However, those wishing to find out more about Sports Therapy and the Society of Sports Therapists can do so via the link below: 

https://www.society-of-sports-therapists.org/index.php

To book an appointment with Chris please click the following link and select our sports therapy assessment option:

https://optimal-physio-ltd.uk2.cliniko.com/bookingsselfbook.aspx