The Rising Popularity of Sports Therapy in Ireland
Sports therapy has been gaining significant traction in Ireland over the past decade, reflecting a broader trend towards proactive health management and wellness. Once considered a niche service reserved primarily for professional athletes, sports therapy has evolved into a mainstream healthcare option accessible to people of all ages and activity levels. Its popularity is driven in part by a growing awareness of health, including in rural areas, and a social shift towards maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. But what is sports therapy? We spoke to Stephen Carroll, a professional sports therapist and co-owner of the Just One Body sports therapy clinic serving Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny, to find out.
What is Sports Therapy?
Sports therapy is a branch of healthcare focused on the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries, generally but not necessarily related to sports and exercise. It combines physiotherapy-style treatment, exercise prescription, and lifestyle advice to enhance physical performance and well-being.
Sports therapists are trained and qualified professionals who use a variety of techniques shared with disciplines such as physiotherapy and osteopathy. These include massage, joint mobilisation and manipulation, stretching and similar manual techniques.
The biggest difference between sports therapy and other similar therapies is that sports therapists are much more likely to use prescription exercise i.e. doing some functional or weight-exercises as part of the treatment session. Although everyone’s session is different, you could think of sports therapy as something of a cross between physiotherapy, pilates and personal training.
What Sort of People Have Sports Therapy?
Stephen’s sports therapy clinic is in the reasonably rural location of New Ross, and serves a wide area taking in Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny.
He told me that these days there is a wide range of people who come for sports therapy, including:
Sportspeople
Sports people are the obvious market for physiotherapy. Ireland has a rich sporting culture, from Gaelic sports through to more “international” sports such as soccer and rugby, and a vibrant sporting community at all levels from international professionals all the way down to weekend warriors or those just getting started.
Sports therapy can serve a variety of roles to the amateur or professional sportsperson. Some might use it to rehabilitate an injury that is keeping them out of action. Others may go regularly for “maintenance” treatments to avoid injury, or to build up strength in particular areas to avoid injury in the future.
Holidaymakers
Stephen told me that they often also see people who don’t consider themselves to be a “sportsperson” but have simply picked up an ache or injury through taking part in active pastimes. Nearby Waterford and Wexford have a raft of exciting activities to take part in, such as water sports, mountain biking and trekking, and people taking part in active holidays may often contact the clinic, usually because they’ve picked up an ache or pain and want to continue to make the most of their holiday.
The role of the sports therapist in this case is to give whatever treatment to the injury they can, and also to advise the patient on how much activity at what level they can expect to do, allowing them to make the most of the rest of their holiday time without making the injury worse.
Aches and Pains
As sports therapy becomes increasingly known and accepted, it is being booked by people for general aches and pains, thanks to its ability not just to treat the pain but also to use the sessions to build up and retrain muscles which will prevent the same injury in future. This includes people who have suffered injuries doing things like gardening or housework, and also people who have work-related injuries, ranging from farmers who have pains from doing highly physical work, through to desk-workers coming with back and neck pains.
Chronic Pain
Sports therapy is also sometimes an appropriate treatment for incurable or chronic pain conditions. Physical therapy is often recommended for chronic pain sufferers, and the benefit of sports therapy is that it allows participation in exercise on the part of the patient, making them feel more proactive in the treatment they are receiving. It is ideal for someone who would like to stay active but isn’t able to go to an exercise class or gym, and needs the guidance of a professional to incorporate gentle exercise into their routine whilst also receiving physical therapy for their underlying condition.
Sports Therapy and Complementary Treatments
At Stephen’s Just One Body clinic, osteopathy, sports massage and personal training are also provided by the team, reflecting a growing trend towards multidisciplinary clinics which offer a wide range of complementary services. This allows the clinic to offer their patients exactly the treatment that is right for them, and to adapt the treatments as required. A person who has injured their back getting back into sports, for example, might begin with osteopathic treatment for their back pain, and then move on to sports therapy to build strength and personal training to learn how to exercise safely and appropriately.
The Future of Sports Therapy in Ireland
Looking ahead, the future of sports therapy in Ireland appears bright. As the population continues to embrace active lifestyles, the demand for sports therapy is likely to grow further. The field is expected to continue evolving, with ongoing research and innovations in treatment techniques and technologies enhancing the scope and effectiveness of care.
Education and professional development will also play a crucial role in shaping the future of sports therapy. As more academic institutions offer specialised programs in sports therapy and related fields, the quality and availability of practitioners will continue to improve. Additionally, professional organisations will help ensure that standards of care remain high, further boosting public confidence in the benefits of sports therapy.
Conclusion
The rising popularity of sports therapy in Ireland reflects a broader cultural shift towards proactive health management and a commitment to maintaining an active lifestyle. With its focus on injury prevention, personalised care, and performance enhancement, sports therapy offers a comprehensive approach to physical health that resonates with people of all ages and fitness levels. As awareness continues to grow and access to services expands, sports therapy is set to become an integral part of Ireland’s health and wellness landscape, helping individuals not only recover from injuries but also reach their full physical potential.
