What is the difference between Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy?
The main difference between Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy is in the scope of the two professions. Whilst physiotherapists are involved with injuries, they also manage people with systematic problems and work in the NHS.
Similar to Physiotherapy, Sports Therapy concentrates on sports injury and the physiology of training. Emphasis is placed upon assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. However, Sports Therapy is specifically concerned with the prevention of injury and rehabilitation of a client back to an optimum level of functional, occupational and sport specific fitness, to prepare them for training, competition or indeed, work.
Sports Therapists perform a wide range of tasks including:
- Assessing the physical condition of a client to analyse problems and plan appropriate treatment
- Using a range of techniques to strengthen, stretch and stabilise muscles and joints to improve mobility
- Performing soft tissue therapy, corrective exercise and relaxation techniques
- Performing peripheral joint mobilisation
- Applying therapeutic modalities such as heat packs, ice packs, electrotherapy, taping and strapping to ease pain, reduce swelling, improve the range of movement and prevent further injury
- Educating the client, their family and the community to prevent injury, achieve peak performance and lead healthy lifestyles, providing first aid, ongoing care and maintaining patient records
- Sports and Re-medial Massage
- Identifying and rectifying soft tissue problems
- Pre- and post-event massage
- Injury prevention and recovery
- Deep tissue techniques and stretching
- Improving circulation and movement, and relieving muscle tension
- Injury Rehabilitation
- Postural Assessment
- Muscle and joint mobility testing
- Electrotherapy, including ultrasound
- Sports injury and rehabilitation advice, exercises and therapy
- Fitness and training advice
- Fitness testing for sports teams and individuals
- Nutrition advice to enhance sports performance or control weight