Sports Therapy

Sports Therapy is beneficial to anyone suffering from aches, pains or injuries, looking to guard against injury, maintain optimum levels of mobility and fitness or increase overall wellbeing, and not just sports men and women.

The Society of Sports Therapists defines sports therapy as:

“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.”

Often compared to physiotherapy, sports therapy is a distinct profession. Sports therapists are not physiotherapists, although they may apply some “physiotherapy” skills because physiotherapy is defined as “the treatment of disease, injury or deformity by physical methods including massage, heat treatment, electricity and exercise, rather than drugs or surgery.” However, a sports therapist has a strong knowledge in the sports and exercise field rather than a traditional healthcare perspective.

Sports therapy includes treating musculoskeletal injuries, helping to prevent injuries through tailored strengthening programmes, creating effective warm-up and cool-down routines, maintaining and maximising movement, relieving pain and increasing quality of life.

As cited by The Society of Sports Therapists:

“A Sports Therapist has the knowledge, skills and ability to:

• utilise sports and exercise principles to optimise performance, preparation and injury prevention programmes
• provide the immediate care of injuries and basic life support in a recreational, training, occupational & competitive environment
• assess, treat, rehabilitate and, where and if appropriate, refer on for specialist advice and intervention
• provide appropriate soft tissue interventions in a sport & exercise context
• plan and implement appropriate rehabilitation and return to training/work programmes”

Denise has many years of experience as a Sports Therapist, working with sportsmen and women from a wide variety of disciplines — from those competing nationally and internationally to those who enjoy sport recreationally. She also supports clients in physically demanding occupations where maintaining strength, mobility, and injury prevention is essential.

Denise offers Remedial Clinical Massage Therapy Sessions incorporating sports therapy, combined with other techniques as required, from her private clinic in Stanford in the Vale, between Wantage and Faringdon with morning and evening appointments available.