According to the Sports Physical Therapy Section, a sports physical therapist is a professional who emphasizes "prevention, evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and performance-enhancement" of exercisers and athletes. Sports physical therapy is a specialized discipline within the practice of physical therapy that focuses primarily on sports-related injuries and performance-enhancement rehabilitation programs. The nature of injuries and the timeline for rehabilitation often changes based on the activity level of the client. While the typical physical therapist treats a variety of clients, the sports physical therapist has specific knowledge and skills to work with athletes and highly active individuals.
Who Are Sports Physical Therapists?
To practice physical therapy in the United States, a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree is required. DPT programs are usually three years, and require a four-year undergraduate degree. Upon completion of a DPT, physical therapy candidates are prepared to sit for a rigorous written and practical licensing exam. The American Physical Therapy Association, the physical therapy governing body in the United States, also requires several hours of continuing education each year to maintain licensure. Sports physical therapists obtain a specialty certification in addition to their main licensure exam which allows them to practice with highly active populations. Further, many sports physical therapists have certifications in other related fields, such as athletic training and strength and conditioning. Sports physical therapists are highly educated professionals with years of rigorous education and training.
What Sports Physical Therapists Do
According to Black Diamond Physical Therapy, sports physical therapists seek to return people to an active lifestyle. This may involve injury prevention programs via pre-participation screenings, and postural evaluations for severe muscular or biomechanical imbalances that may lead to a sports injury. Sports physical therapists are also skilled in the evaluation of injury, and often conduct functional assessments to ensure a careful return to exercise or athletics. The primary focus of sports physical therapists, according to the Sports Physical Therapy Section, is the treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. Sports physical therapists specialize in designing and implementing programs to most effectively manage a variety of sports injuries. Performance enhancement is also a key outcome for athletes, and sports physical therapists have skills to evaluate any areas of physical deficiency, such as flexibility, strength or endurance, and target these to improve athletic performance. Finally, many sports physical therapists are active researchers and educators, conducting lectures for local universities, providing educational opportunities for young professionals and publishing new research based on clinical experiences.
The Sports Medicine Chain of Command
Sports medicine teams include a number of different professionals who must work together to ensure optimal performance for athletes while minimizing the risk of injury. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, most sports medicine teams consist of a team physician, an athletic trainer, a physical therapist, a strength and conditioning specialist and sometimes an exercise physiologist. Within this framework, the primary role of the sports physical therapist is to treat specific injuries, lead long-term rehabilitation programs and provide recommendations to the strength and conditioning professional regarding rehabilitation strength programs.
Exercise Programs
The Sports Physical Therapy Institute reports that sports physical therapists offer a variety of exercise-related services for both injured and non-injured clients. Many sports physical therapists offer personal training and weight loss programs as well. The Sports Physical Therapy Institute indicates that such programs include an initial interview, client assessment and an orientation session. Clients with goals of enhancing performance, losing weight or increasing strength can consult with sports physical therapists for guidance.
Additional Services
In addition to injury rehabilitation and exercise, many sports physical therapy clinics such as The Sports Physical Therapy Institute offer massage and specialized injury preventative education classes. Many soft-tissue injuries can be treated with a wide variety of massage techniques and most sports physical therapists have knowledge in these practices. Further, injury prevention classes may describe ways to protect vulnerable joints from undue stress throughout an individual's daily activities, such as grocery shopping or walking the dog.
References
- The Sports Physical Therapy Section: What is Sports Physical Therapy?
- American Physical Therapy Association: Sports Physical Therapy Section
- Black Diamond Physical Therapy: About Us
- "Essentials of Strength and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger R. Earle (eds.); 2008
