Sports Rehabilitators

[toad]

Hi,

I went on a course at the weekend for advanced soft tissue techniques and everyone else was a physio, either newly graduated (and struggling to find work) or in 3rd year. I again have to agree that their knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy and specific injuries was poor. No one seemed to know what a slap-lesion was. However, ask me about respiratory or neural things and I am at a loss. I think this makes the point again about specialisms.
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Not a particularly fair comparison, if you took out the still student and just qualified physio's who have spent 3-4 years being taught anatomy, physiology and a very broad base of nearly all medical disciplines there knowledge of specific points relating to musculoskeletal problems will not be as good as someone who has spent years covering this as a specific area.

However, take physio's at whatever level who specialise in musculoskeletal and they will have developed themselves in that area, have in depth knowledge for diagnosis and hands on and exercise therapy.

The plus side to physio is that when you have people coming off the street to see you(private practice), they can have many and multiple at times medical issues. They can also arrive with any form of unusuall problems masquerading as a musculoskeletal issue, this is where i feel the more general medical teaching helps - to spot these and to incorporate adaptations to a treatment program for a variety of medical conditions.

[mcsportsrehab]

That is a fair comment but the same can be said for other professions that once they specialise and have gained experience they themselves become superb practitioners.

Personally I think that physio degree's should be four years with the final year geared towards specialisation towards a particular pathway to aid in employment as once graduated many many students are not employed. Thats another bonus of sports rehabilitation in that gradautes are able to go into other areas whether it be clinical practice, teaching, research, personal training, military remedial instructors whilst also working in "physiotherapy" roles/departments straight from graduation.

What we should be doing is looking at how the two professions can compliment each other. Comparisons are futile, like doing the same with osteopaths and chiropractors, for the general public this may help but it takes away from each profession as each is different.

On the medical knowledge to be honest it doesn't make a difference unless you need to know for pitch side trauma (taught by Dr Andy Smith at Salford) but otherwise as long we know red flags and apreciate that this is outside of musculoskeletal perview then we refer on otherwise we're not soft tissue based practitioners and working outside the remit to which we are trained.

My colleague is a physio and he is amazing with knees truly stupendous but does that make physio great or just him as a practitioner!?!?!?!? Anarchy!! lol

What I'm saying is there's no point comparing, the grounding of this degree is solid with a masters pathway coming soon enough and will soon be recognised alongside other HPC professions.

Keep shouting the name!!!!!!!! BASRaT BASRaT BASRaT BASRaT!!

[Heidi84]

Toad, you're arguing the same point that I was making! As a rehabber I specialise in soft tisse, mainly sports injuries. All I think we are saying is that rehabbers are just as good as a (non-specialist) physio at musculoskeletal stuff. I believe we have the edge in terms of late stage rehabilitation too. However, the bonus seems to be with a physio, that if there is a more medical problem they may be able to treat, whereas we are taught to recognise these warning signs (red flags) and refer on.

And I agree with you mcsportsrehab, it would be great to all work together. Bring it on BASRaT!!!

p.s. I think there is already a masters underway at St Marys?!

[mcsportsrehab]

There's an exercise and rehabilitation masters at St Mary's but there will soon be a Masters in Sports Rehabilitation and one in Strength and Conditioning Heidi this is an ongoing thing so keep an eye on the BASRaT website. Students will also be insured to practice doing sports massage in the future under additional membership, we are also applying for GSR's to be accepted to work at the 2012 olympics!!!