Frequently Asked Questions
- Which course should I start with?
- How much time should I allow between enrolling and attending my practical training?
- What sort of people will be my clients when I qualify?
- Where will I work?
- What other costs can I expect to get started?
- Do I need to buy other text books for your courses?
- Will I get support after I have qualified?
- What happens if I fail a part of a course?
- Are there additional fees payable to those shown?
- Who are the recognised Awarding Bodies for qualifications in sports massage in the UK?
- Can any governing bodies exclude other qualified personnel from practising?
- Can any organisation impose restrictions to practise in the future?
- What will it take for State Registration to happen in sports massage/sports therapy?
- If State Registration occurs will I have to pass further qualifications? How will I stand if and when the HPC regulate sports massage therapy and/or sports therapy?
- Isn't it obvious that the industry will want State Registration?
- Is State Registration likely to happen soon?
- Is your Sports Massage training approved by the SMA (Sports Massage Association)?
- Is the sports massage course internationally recognised? I want to ultimately work in the US, so need the course to be international.
1. Which course should I start with?
We strongly recommend you begin with the Certificate course in Sports Massage. This will give you excellent skills that may be used to provide a service to all clients, whether they are fully fit, or returning to sport. Ideally this course must also be successfully completed before commencing other more advanced courses - see each course description.
2. How much time should I allow between enrolling and attending my practical training?
The estimated study hours required for each course and the minimum needed to attend your practical training are indicated with each course. Some require little pre-course study if you are already qualified from earlier courses.
3. What sort of people will be my clients when I qualify?
Sports therapists do not just deal with fit athletes. There is a vast range within the population who will require your services. Anyone; however active, however fit, whatever age, and whatever activity, may benefit from sports therapy. They may be musicians, sports people, gardeners, manual workers, dancers, and many others who simply engage in physical exertion of one sort or another.
4. Where will I work?
Although sports therapy is rapidly gaining recognition and acceptance in the UK, there are few employed positions available at the present time. Part-time paid positions do exist with some sports clubs and injury clinics. Most graduates will build a practise from different locations on a self-employed basis. Advice is given during our courses on how to start and develop your business.
5. What other costs can I expect to get started?
The main start-up costs for a sports therapist are for your couch and accessories. Currently you should budget about £330 to purchase a good portable couch, carry case, towelling cover and massage oils.
6. Do I need to buy other text books for your courses?
No, all necessary study material including text books and course notes are provided within your course fees.
7. Will I get support after I have qualified?
Yes Sports Therapy UK will always provide information and support for it's graduate members and we encourage members to contact and support each other through our national register.
8. What happens if I fail a part of a course?
We encourage you to retake whatever assessment or examination again and will provide any necessary assistance or guidance. Our aim is to help you exceed the standards we set, not hinder you.
9. Are there additional fees payable to those shown?
The course fees are clearly set out. The only additional fee is to sit your examination; these fees are shown on our website. Course textbooks are provided although newcomers to sports therapy will need to purchase a couch and towelling cover.
10. Who are the recognised Awarding Bodies for qualifications in sports massage in the UK?
VTCT has launched two brand new certificates - Level 3 and Level 4 in Sports Massage Therapy and both have been endorsed by the Sports Massage Association (SMA). The qualifications will appear on the new Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF), and have been approved by SkillsActive, the sector skills council for active leisure and learning, as well as Ofqual, the new regulators of qualifications, tests and examinations in England. In the Level 3 Certificate, candidates will develop their knowledge and understanding of the theory underpinning the practice of sports massage therapy, including functional anatomy and physiology, nutrition, classification of sports injuries and the stages of healing. It will also provide the skills and techniques to plan, prepare and apply sports massage methods.
In the Level 4 Diploma, practitioners currently employed in sport and fitness will develop their understanding of advanced anatomical, physiological and pathological principles relevant to the application of sports massage. They will gain a range of advanced skills and massage techniques and understand.
11. Can any governing bodies exclude other qualified personnel from practising?
No organisation other than those registered with HPC (i.e state registered) are allowed to regulate outside their own membership, just as we at Sports Therapy UK can and do not. An organisation such as ours are of course allowed to promote the standards we train to and maintain through our professional code of conduct. However, we are not allowed to state or infer to the general public that anyone outside such an organisation is ineligible or unsuitable to practise in a given field; only HPC has the power to do that, and only once the profession has become state registered.
12. Can any organisation impose restrictions to practise in the future?
In addition, it is unfair for any organisation, no matter how much communication they have had with HPC, to infer that by not being a member (or training with that organisation), they will be excluded from registration when, and if state registration is passed through parliament in the future.
13. What will it take for State Registration to happen in sports massage/sports therapy?
To achieve state registration for a profession is a long and arduous process. Representatives from at least 80% of the industry must first agree that state registration is wanted by the majority. An independent body must then be formed to take this forward with HPC. This body must then agree the standards of practise and training which will form the benchmarks for the profession. Once this has been done the information must be documented and presented in an acceptable format to the HPC for approval, and ultimately before parliament for passing as a bill.
14. If State Registration occurs will I have to pass further qualifications? How will I stand if and when the HPC regulate sports massage therapy and/or sports therapy?
If this stage is reached successfully (which will take a great deal of resources and many years to complete), the scheme commences with a process called 'grandparenting' which allows practitioners such as you and I to produce evidence of our abilities, by the extent of our experience as well as past qualifications. This 'grandparenting' process remains as a window of opportunity to all practitioners for a period of two years following state registration before the new and approved standards of training become the sole route to practising as a state registered sports massage therapist.
15. Isn't it obvious that the industry will want State Registration?
As to whether the 'industry' wants sports massage therapy/sports therapy to be state registered, although most will agree that in principle this is a very positive development, there are many that fear it may become prohibitively expensive. For example, other state registered practitioners such as osteopaths have to pay annual fees and insurance of in excess of £1500. We know many sports massage therapists who are also qualified in other therapies as well as those who are also personal trainers, gym instructors, etc. They are worried that if more than one of their professional areas, or worse still, several become state registered, they will have mounting fees running to thousands of pounds per annum which will effectively exclude them from their chosen vocation.
16. Is State Registration likely to happen soon?
At the time of writing (Jan 2008), we have received a letter from the Health Professions Council, indicating what must be achieved for sports therapy to become state 'industry' wants sports massage therapy/sports therapy to be state registered, although
17. Is your Sports Massage training approved by the SMA (Sports Massage Association)?
We at Sports Therapy UK are monitoring all professional and training developments in sports massage therapy and sports therapy. We have strong links with the University of Bedfordshire who approve our courses for rapid entry to their sports therapy degree programme. We have also applied to the Sports Massage Association to become an approved training provider and at the time of writing (Jan 2008) we are awaiting their response. Full details of news such as this is sent via our website to all those who have 'subscribed' their email addresses on our Home Page.
18. Is the sports massage course internationally recognised? I want to ultimately work in the US, so need the course to be international.
There is no short answer to this. Every country has its' own 'governing bodies' and/or government legislation which either guides or legislates for who can practise where. This varies considerably form one country to the next and worse still in your case, from one state to the next in the U.S.A. I have had experience in helping past graduates work in various countries and states. For example, I am aware that California have very strict rules on who can practise and make it exceptionally onerus for any therapist to gain a license to work in sports therapy. Other countries such as Australia are much more lax and hence, it is relatively easy to work as a sports therapist there. You will therefore need to be more specific about where you would like to work and investigate the state or country in question. Further guidance may be gained from Independent Professional Therapists International who validate our courses for professional indemnity insurance. They can insure for some countries abroad and previewing their list may give you an indication of where least restrictions are imposed. (You will find a link to their website from ours).
As for international recognition, yes we have gained some abroad but it would be untrue to say that we are known by many overseas organisations; there are just far too many for us to be proactive in this way. But this also goes for all training organisations unless it is for a state registered therapy such as osteopathy or physiotherapy. In sports therapy you really need to show evidence of the extent of training (which we do via our course record), level of qualification (in our case recognised by University of Bedfordshire) and your experience.
I hope this helps clear some 'muddied' waters. Please contact us again if we can help further.