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Sports therapy is the involvement of the care of people who have been injured through a sporting activity. These sports include football, soccer, basketball, baseball, running, rowing, and a myriad of other sports that are both team and individual events.
Professionals who specialize in Sports Therapy must have an intimate knowledge of the human anatomy, physiology and psychology. The practice of Sports Therapy will integrate both physical and mental interventions to help an individual heal from an injury or prevent further injuries.
The practice of Sports Therapy is interesting and challenging. Professionals find it rewarding because they help people regain their ability to improve their health and fitness. There are a variety of job opportunities working in clubs, clinics or with accidents.
The psychology of sports therapy involves both the therapist and the individual. The therapist must address their own beliefs and interests in developing healthy habits and good physical fitness before being able to guide their clients along this road to health.
After addressing their own needs the sports therapist must address their client’s needs from the perspective of the client. By addressing the healing processes from a holistic point of view and not just as the therapist addressing an injured leg or arm there is a better chance that the individual will heal faster and remain injury free longer.
There is no magic or miracle to addressing the psychology of injuries, just common sense. If the therapist only gives the individual advice without understanding the needs, desires and concerns of the patient the likelihoods that the patient will follow the advice of the therapist is slim.
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Most Sports Therapy programs have a mental skills program that focuses on the psychological factors of participation, performance and healing in sports and exercise. The mind plays an essential role in setting goals and achieving success. The portion of their education which addresses mental skills helps the therapist to better evaluate their client and unlock the powers of their mind to optimize the training, healing and performance of the client.
Most healing processes involve making lifestyle choices. Even if those choices are only to do their therapy twice daily to improve the success of their healing processes, without making them the healing process will move more slowly.
The Sports Therapist will help the client to plan for obstacles and resources to cope with those obstacles. The therapist develops a customized plan for the client to help them understand the phases of healing, establish goals, enhance motivation and master the emotions that can present as obstacles to the healing process.
By successfully integrating the psychology of sports therapy clients are able to heal faster and better. The therapist works with the client to decrease the emotional response to the injury while helping them adhere to the physical therapy program to heal their body. They also work to decrease the fear of re-injury following rehab.
RESOURCES
PsychCentral: A New Way to Look at Sports Therapy
GoodTherapy: Sport/Fitness Psychology
AllPsychologyCareers: Sports Psychologist