Ok, before we start this is not a jab at sports massage practitioners, this is observations over the last few years, and complaints I have heard from many of my colleagues.
Sports Massage and Sports Therapy are two distinctly different professions, but something we sports therapists find extremely annoying is sports massage practitioners that call themselves sports therapists.
Colleagues are reporting that some SMP's are advertising as ST's, and when they get clients in for problems that ST's treat everyday, they are telling them they cant treat them, and they should go and see a physio! This is really doing the reputation of sports therapists down, and I shall be contacting all the Sports Massage professional associations to see if they will write into their codes of conduct that SMPs do NOT call themselves ST's.
As I said at the start of this posting im not knocking sports massage as a profession. In my opinion everyone should have a sports massage at least once a month to keep themselves in good condition.
A comparison between sports massage and sports therapy:
A sports massage practitioner can perform sports massage with the following benefits (taken from the Sports Massage Association website):Improve circulation & lymphatic flow;
Assist in the removal of metabolic waste;
Sedate or stimulate nerve endings;
Increase or decrease muscle tone;
Increase or decrease muscle length;
Remodel scar tissue when required;
Assist in mental preparation for sporting participation.
A Sports Therapist can offer sports massage plus added remedial massage techniques such as M.E.T.s, Peripheral Joint Mobilisations, Neuromuscular Techniques and Soft Tissue Release for not only the above benefits, but also to treat muscular injuries/dysfunction. ST's are also trained to assess for muscle and joint dysfunction, using specialised techniques, and therefore would not have to refer within their scope of practice. ST's use taping and strapping and the vast majority are trained in the use of ultrasound. Cryotherapy is used to treat acute injuries and Thermal therapy is used to treat chronic problems. Rehabilitation after injury is a large part of an ST's role, as well as fitness testing/instruction and exercise therapy. Finally ST's are trained to give basic nutritonal advice, and in sports psychology techniques such as visualisation and motivation, to aid their clients further.
So you can see that a SMP can perform only a small percentage of what an ST is trained to do.
Our closest relative would be the Sport & Remedial Massage therapist, who would be trained in sports massage and remedial massage techniques, and some of the courses cover such things as remedial exercise and injury assessment.
It is interesting that with the new NICE report on lower back pain and its recommendation that massage be used as a treatment modality, the bulk of the soft tissue work will be performed not just by physios (with additional massage training), chiros and osteos, but by Sports Therapists and Remedial Masseurs, as they are the ones with the specialist training. It has been reported to me that Sports Therapists will be employed by NHS trusts, starting in the Midlands, and hopefully rolling out around the country.
If you do feel that you know of any SMPs advertising their services as an ST, it would be useful if you could check which Professional Association they belong to, so that we can sort this out for the benefit of ST's throughout the country. I dont mean for this to sound like a witchhunt, but why should we be losing business to people that arent trained to do what some of them claim to be able to do!?
Hi Liz,
good advice from Paul,
The Active course is run over a year, its just the practical phase that changes,
the home study part and the case study part still take the full year on average
the 5 weeks can also be taken as a split of either 1 week at a time, two weeks/two weeks and final week or a mixture.
Regars
BGFL
Nealy there...
Thanks so much! I'm going to get on a train to Manchester and see Acitive Group for myself! Will make a decision by this time next week!
Very interesting about Mel working with dancers - thank you.
This thread is the best thing that I could have found while trying to make this decision - love it.
Fasiaman - your info about course comparisons was invaluable - just what I needed...
...thanks again
Hi Liz,
without this sounding like a sales pitch, which I hope it doesnt, I trained with Active, and I teach for them 2 days on every course. My main job is a full time therapist, and I limit myself to 30 clients per week, as anymore can be a bit tiring, I also employ 4 therapists. I have worked with a very large dance school, with their dance degree students, where I learned so much about dancers, in fact I think they are my most challenging 'patients'. I work with one of the most famous dancers in the UK, and have worked on dancers from some very high profile dance TV shows.
Active have recently had a professional dancer over from Norway to train with them, and her testimonial is on their website.
Aside from dance, I have worked at very high levels in sport, and again, this presents you with an even greater range of problems to treat, which can be very stimulating.
As far as intensive courses go, I have read that they dont work....well my answer to that is, I dont seem to have done too badly from it! Of course its harder work, it can be draining, but its worked for Active for 9 years....
It works at Active because the centre has a busy clinic, where students can go and get real work experience, aside from the tutors theres always therapists around, so its not like a normal 'school' setting.
I also hear 'how can you learn sports therapy in 25 days?', well again, as Gaz says, the course actually lasts around a year, if you can commit more time to study then you can do it quicker.
One other thing about intensive courses, if they are so bad, why have all the major associations approached Active to validate/accredit their courses?? 😉
At the end of the day Liz, you have to make your own decisions, and it is a shame that there isnt more independent advice on here, relating to 'sports', but what I can say is if you choose Active, LSSM or NLSSM, you wont go far wrong.
I'm going to get on a train to Manchester and see Acitive Group for myself!
Hi Liz, thats great! If you come on Wednesday or Thursday next week you will be able to see me in action teaching!!....on second thoughts...lol:D:D
Its good when potential students check out their potential schools, its good for us as teachers, as we know that someone is serious about training, but also as a potential student, you can find so much out, especiall if you can speak to students that are there..
Hope to meet you soon!
I'm coming!
Hi there,
Your last message convinced me and I just heard from the Society of Sports Therapists that the course at Raworth is not recognised by them!
So... I've booked on the course @ Active to start in Oct! It's 'do or die' right!
See you then! Anything you can tell me to get me started would be great! PM me if you want.
So looking forward to meeting you and getting started - it's been 7 years of umming and erring to get to this point.
Thanks to everyone for helping make the decision!:):):)
Hi Liz go for it !
get your head into as much A+P as possible prior to your course start date.Its this key area that can hold back or excellorate your ability to do well on the short courses.
Best of luck + enjoy steve
Hi Liz,
Sorry I'm a bit late coming to this thread but can only congratulate you on your decision. I trained with Active Health on the intensive course in 2006 and have done a few other courses with them since.
The course has changed a bit since I completed it but the training is, I'm sure, as thorough as ever. I would not pretend that it is easy, there is a lot to take in and I know everyone on my course had at least one "I can't cope!" moment, but we all ( with the exception of one who had to drop out due to family problems) completed the course successfully.
The best advice I can offer is to get your nose into your anatomy books, the more you learn about muscle origins, insertions and actions the better off you will be - both on the course and in your new career.
Since qualifying I have got more and more interested in postural and remedial work and love it!
I think you have made the right decision, good luck on the course and in the future. If you would like to ask any further questions, please feel free to PM me.
Best wishes
Dave