Which will help me best? - Chiropracy? Osteopathy? Physiotherapy? or Sports Therapy? Sports Massage Therapy?
Chiropracy is a system of complementary medicine based on the diagnosis and manipulative treatment of misalignments of the joints, especially those of the spinal column, which are believed to cause other disorders by affecting the nerves, muscles, and organs.
Osteopathy is a way of detecting, treating and preventing health problems by moving, stretching and massaging a person's muscles and joints. Osteopathy is based on the principle that the wellbeing of an individual depends on their bones, muscles, ligaments and connective tissue functioning smoothly together.
Physiotherapy is a treatment to restore, maintain, and make the most of a patient's mobility, function, and well-being. Physiotherapy helps through physical rehabilitation, injury prevention, and health and fitness. Physiotherapists get you involved in your own recovery.
Sports Therapy / Sports Massage Therapy
What is the scope of practice of a Sports (Remedial) Massage Therapy?
There are many instances of misunderstanding regarding the knowledge, skills and abilities that this occupational group possess. Sports Therapists are practitioners who specialises in all aspects of soft tissue injuries. Soft tissue includes muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia. They do not exclusively work within sports environments, as they treat individuals who suffer with soft tissue issues. They include pain, injury and limited range of motion, through hand-on treatment, exercise and rehabilitation in any walk of life.
Physiotherapist Graham Smith created the Sports Therapy occupation, to redress the approach to muscular-skeletal injuries. Physiotherapy had moved towards an exercise-based rehabilitation, as the hands on approaches were being omitted. The occupation also includes further knowledge, skills and the ability to work at increasing levels of the sport and exercise continuum. A Sports Therapists qualification covers these areas.
They have knowledge, skills and the ability to:
Provide immediate assessment, treatment and ongoing care of injuries
Provide appropriate sport and remedial massage
Provide support in a recreational, training and competitive environments
Where appropriate, refer on for specialist advice and intervention.
Utilise exercise principles to optimise injury prevention and rehabilitation programmes
The spectrum of Sports Therapists expertise must possess is built within five key areas of competency. These are:
Recognition and evaluation of injuries
Treatment management and appropriate referral
Prevention and rehabilitation of injuries
Counselling (basic)
Education
Sports Therapists are educated in principles that have sound practical and evidence based philosophies with solid foundations in sport and exercise science
Sports Therapists are trained to know how to manipulate the muscular-skeletal system in a safe effective way for the fastest recovery. Using a range of techniques and modalities to ensure individuals are treated effectively and safely, from the occurrence of an injury to rehabilitation of the client to fitness.
Key skills for sports therapists
Confidentiality - respect of privacy
Interpersonal skills - Building and fostering collaborative partnerships
Communication - effective transfer of appropriate information
Motivational – setting achievable specific goals with a specific client in mind
Physical fitness - stamina, strength and dexterity of the practitioner
Conscientiousness - occupationally responsible and reliable
Ability to form strong relationships with people from diverse backgrounds
Empathy Able to deal sensitively with injured clients
Professionalism - a high level of work ethic, excellence and reputation
Problem-Solving Skills - defining cause of injuries and pain
Decision-making skills - accurately evaluation and establish priorities
The borders between the disciplines can only be described as grey, with each discipline overlapping another one. Sports Therapists attempt to reach the needs of as many members of the public as they can through a progressive approach
Sports therapy and sports massage therapy both provide great benefit; it depends on the level of treatment that is required. The therapist will decide what type of treatment is suitable for the level of pain or injury causing limiting range of motion
Personal recommendation is a great way of finding someone as most clients find their therapist this way. Always ask what level and the scope of the therapist’s qualification are and that they are fully insured to treat you.