I often get asked the difference between a sports therapy and sports massage therapists.
It’s not surprising alot of get confused..
However, there is a great difference between the two..
Sports massage therapists level 3 are trained around 6 months to gain their certificate/diploma qualification, and massage mainly as a compound muscle to the area of your complaint. Level 4 sports massage therapists are trained also around 6 months, and are able to treat minor/non complex complaints and give advise to relieve.
Sports therapist train between 3 years plus.. training is in depth and know how to isolate individual muscles needed that will be causing the issue that is generally not the area of complaint, rehab knowing how to manipulate the system in a safe effective way for fastest recovery. Below is a small breakdown for those unsure.
Either way, sports therapists and sports massage therapists are both of great benefit, but depending on the level of treatment you require, you need to decide what type of therapist suits the level of injury /treatment you require.
Making sure therapist are not working out of their scope of qualification and are fully insured.. always ask what level of qualification a therapists has if you require treatment and rehab on a more complex injury.
Sports Massage Therapy encompasses the knowledge of manual therapy skills relating to soft tissues and their functions, the effects of manual therapy and exercise on normal, and tight tissue. The main soft tissues include muscles, fascia, tendons, and ligaments. Level 3 courses assist in prevention of injury and performance enhancement, whilst Level 4 includes cerrtain soft tissue conditions and minor injuries commonly suffered in sport activity, plus a range of interventions aimed at promoting repair and recovery.
Sports Therapy entails a higher level of training that includes a wider set of skills and supporting knowledge. There is general agreement within the UK of some core areas which are essential to sports therapy although the emphasis will vary amongst training providers with some favouring soft tissue therapy and others leaning towards rehabilitation or emergency care. It is widely accepted that sports therapy includes:
Advanced Anatomy and physiology in knowledge of all systems
Sports massage as stated above for level 3 and 4
Biomechanics and range of motion
Advanced Manual Therapy Skills
Injury assessment and treatment
Gait analysis
Rehabilitation from minor/major injury and trauma
First Aid and advanced trauma care
Pitchside first aid
Taping for Sport
Kinesiology taping for injury
Electrotherapy, Strength & Conditioning, and/or Sports Nutrition.
Rehabilitation knowledge of when and when not to overload
Concussion management
Sports Therapists will also work in is to help individuals and club teams to progress from being able to perform normal daily physical functions to sporting and highly skilled activities, recovering from trauma.
Also allowing sports therapist to work at 1st team levels of running sports clubs.