Profession sport therapist

Sport therapists program and supervise rehabilitation exercises for individuals and groups. They work with individuals that have chronic health conditions or are at high risk of developing them. They communicate with medical and healthcare professionals about participants' conditions using correct medical terminology, and with an understanding of the standard treatment options for an individual’s condition. Sport therapists take a holistic approach to the wellness of their clients that includes advising on lifestyle, food or time management. They do not have a medical background and do not require medical qualifications.

Personality Type

• Social / Artistic
• Social / Realistic
• Enterprising / Conventional

Skills

• Conduct fitness risk assessment

  Conduct appropriate testing, functional and physical fitness assessments with clients that will include screening and a risk stratification (against recognised protocols and methods) at risk, or with an identified health condition(s). The information and findings need to be analysed.

• Demonstrate professional attitude to clients

  Demonstrate responsibility and professional duty of care to clients which will include communication skills and a focus of customer care orientation.

• Prepare exercise session

  Prepare equipment and facilities for the session ensuring compliance with industry and national guidelines for normal operating procedures. Plan timings and sequences for the session.

• Integrate exercise science to the design of the programme

  Design movements and exercises according to the functions of the musculoskeletal system and biomechanical concepts. Develop programme according to physiological concepts, the cardio-respiratory and energy systems.  

• Show professional responsibility

  Ensure that other workers and clients are treated with respect and that appropriate civil liability insurance is in place at all times of instructing.

• Collect client fitness information

  Collect fitness information relating to individual clients; Identify client information which is to be collected and advise clients of correct procedures, protocols and risks prior to commencing physical assessment and exercising.

• Identify health objectives

  Identify the individual motives of the customer and define short, medium and long term fitness goals. Coordinate with health professionals who may be part of the team and advise on exercise interventions.

• Adapt fitness exercises

  Suggest relevant exercise adaptations or options to allow for individual client differences or needs and provide participants with advice on intensity and how to progress their individual performance and results.

• Ensure safety of exercise environment

  Select the correct training environment and assess risks to ensure it provides a safe, clean and friendly fitness environment and that it will be the best use of the environment in which clients are exercising.

• Integrate principles of training

  Apply components of health related fitness to the design of an individual programme in order to meet client’s abilities, needs and lifestyle and exercise preferences.

• Prescribe exercises for controlled health conditions

  Provide a range of targeted exercise programmes by applying principles of exercise programming.

• Manage fitness communication

  Ensure proper communication with fitness instructors, medical professionals and keep record of administrative files

• Inform clients of healthy lifestyle benefits

  Provide accurate information about the role of physical activity and stimulate exercisers with controlled health conditions to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle behaviour. Inform clients on principles of nutrition and weight management.

• Attend to fitness clients under controlled health conditions

  Recognise the standards and professional limitations when working with vulnerable clients. Monitor industry trends.

• Motivate fitness clients

  Positively interact with and motivate fitness clients to participate in regular physical activity and promote fitness exercise as a part of a healthy lifestyle.

• Prescribe exercises

  Provide a range of exercise programmes in accordance with the needs of the clients by applying principles of exercise programming.

Source: Sisyphus ODB