Being able to offer a range of services and solutions to your injury problems all under one roof, is something we’re very proud to offer here at goPhysio in Chandlers Ford.
This means a range of professionals who are best placed to help you with your injury concerns. We have a great team on board here and we often get asked;
“Who’s the best person to see? A Physiotherapist or Sports Therapist?
The short answer is, that both professionals are highly trained and experienced to treat your injury. The types of injuries people come to see us for here at goPhysio are called musculoskeletal (MSK) problems. So those issues affecting bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments etc. such as back pain, sports injuries, whiplash, overuse injuries and such. There are some key similarities and differences in their training and approach.
In this article we aim to explain more about these 2 professions, to help guide you to seeing the most appropriate person to get you back doing what you love.
Physio’s and Sports Therapists have both had to complete a degree or masters qualification at University, so are highly educated in assessing MSK problems and applying a wide range of treatments to effectively resolve your pain and injury. Both focus on restoring, maintaining and maximising movement alongside relieving the pain of your injury and optimising your quality of life.
Both Physiotherapists and Sports Therapists have the skills and knowledge to:
- Assess and diagnose your MSK injury
- Formulate and deliver customised and effective treatment and rehabilitation plans to optimise your recovery from injury
- Use a variety of treatment techniques to relieve your pain and help resolve your injury
- Educate and advise people on management of long term MSK conditions
- Support you with getting active and staying fit and well
- Get you back doing what you love, free from pain or injury
- Help you improve physical performance
- Prevent injury or recurring injuries
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession, regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy are both protected titles, so individuals have to have completed an approved degree or masters course and meet and maintain strict standards set out by the HCPC in order to use this title.
Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. Physiotherapists help people of all ages affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists
During their training, Physiotherapists will learn how to manage a variety of different conditions associated with different systems of the body and different client groups. This includes orthopaedics, neurology, cardiovascular, respiratory, elderly, children and women’s health. Once they are qualified, they may choose to specialise in any one of these areas and work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, schools, sports clubs, private clinics and industry. Subsequently, they have a very wide and varied knowledge base and experience.
Sports Therapy
Sports Therapists are experts in musculoskeletal disorders. Their degree course focuses on the musculoskeletal system and treating pain and injury throughs hands on treatments and rehabilitation.
Sports Therapy is an aspect of healthcare that is specifically concerned with the prevention of injury and the rehabilitation of the patient back to optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness, regardless of age and ability. It utilises the principles of sport and exercise sciences incorporating physiological and pathological processes to prepare the participant for training, competition and where applicable, work.
Despite the name, Sports Therapists don’t just see people with sports injuries. At the end of the day, an injury is an injury, however you’ve suffered it. Whether you’ve sprained your ankle out shopping or playing football, a Sports Therapist is well equipped to help you.
In Summary
- Both Physiotherapists and Sports Therapists are trained to a high level to expertly assess, diagnose and help with your injury recovery.
- Physiotherapists have a broad based training, so if you have a more complex history or other medical conditions, that need to be considered, they may be the better person to see.
- Sports Therapists will be well equipped to support your full return to sport, focusing very much on rehabilitation and high level exercise if this is your goal.
Both professions will have taken different paths after graduating, so you may find a Sports Therapist who’s taken a less ‘sporty’ path in their profession, just as you may find a Physio who’s specialised in sports. So, be guided by your needs and the individual experience of the clinicians available to see.
The important thing is, that your form a good relationship with your Clinician, you can communicate with them well and you feel the benefit from their treatment programme and plan.
If you’d like further advice who to see for your injury, then please do get in touch.
