Sports Therapists and Physiotherapists

What are Sports Therapists?

Sports Therapy is a profession aimed towards treating active people. The therapists are able to assess, treat and manage muscular conditions with a range of therapies to changes someones movement and mobility. Sports therapists are becoming quite popular providers in the sports industry with many working with elite sporting clubs and athletes. Since its creation as a new discipline back in 1990 as a sub-section of Physiotherapy, Sports therapists have adopted many skills of a Physiotherapist in sports and exercise contexts but not in healthcare contexts.

What Can Sports Therapists do?

They have a clearly defined scope of practice; This means If a client has complex injuries, conditions or health and fitness needs they should be seen by someone that can provide and develop an appropriate treatment and management plan.

A sports therapist may assist with:

• Injury Prevention

• Recognition & evaluation Management of a particular injury

• Exercise a treatment plan & referral to a specialist or more advance healthcare provider for advice and intervention.

• Educate clients about their Rehabilitation

Sports Therapists and Physiotherapists

Since sports therapists have many skills of a Physiotherapist they can often dual treat musculoskeletal origins of pain and injury. But how do you pick a therapist that is going to work for you?
Often it comes down to the following three aspects:

• Education

• Experience

• Rapport

Many clinics will have both professions working in a team working on similar clientele. Since sports therapists can do a lot of Physiotherapy techniques required to manage active people they are used just as often as Physio’s. However when there is not a clear diagnosis of a condition the Physiotherapist must be the “go-to” professional.

When to see a Physio over a Sports Therapist?

A physiotherapist is a “first contact” healthcare provider. They can provide a diagnosis much like a doctor can. Unlike Sports Therapists/ Exercise Physiologists/ Myotherapists/Massage Therapists and Personal Trainers their education level and regulations omit them from doing this. A physiotherapist is the most commonly referred to allied health provider by GPs in Australia. This is attributed to “The depth and breadth of conditions that physio’s treat” as shown on the  APA National Advertising Campaign .

 If a clear diagnosis has been made Sports therapists can continue to carry out an appropriate treatment and management plan.

We treat clients from
City of Knox: Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Knoxfield, Lysterfield, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin, Upper Ferntree Gully, Wantirna, Wantirna South
and the City of Maroondah: Bayswater North, Croydon,Croydon Hills, Croydon North, Croydon South, Heathmont, Kilsyth (part),Kilsyth South, Park Orchards (part), Ringwood, Ringwood East, Ringwood North (part), Vermont (part), Warranwood and Wonga Park (part).

We Service

We are physiotherapists located in Kilsyth and Knoxfield – helping you be better by restoring, improving & enhancing your optimal movement!