Frequently Asked Questions

Firstly, check that the course you are considering allows you to achieve a nationally recognised award that has the correct syllabus, credits, and guided learning hours (GLH) to ensure you exceed the accepted minimum standards. Then look at how long the practical training lasts for the course.

We cannot comment on the quality or content of other courses and whilst some may carry nationally recognised awards that match VTCT qualifications, we would urge you to compare the practical training duration of each course when trying to determine how much you may achieve and most importantly, how competent you will be to practice. At Sports Therapy UK we recognise not only the minimum standards set by those recognised awards, but more importantly what is needed to treat clients appropriately and with confidence.

We are proud of our reputation in helping graduates achieve high standards following extensive practical training supported by comprehensive home study. Regrettably on occasions, students who have a pre-requisite qualification for the next level from another training provider, have struggled on our courses as they do not have not the same practical experience required and therefore depth of training as those who have graduated through Sports Therapy UK.

As you may be aware, Sports Therapy UK is a full-time training provider with extensive resources, expertise, and experience over many years. Our team aims to provide a comprehensive and rewarding learning experience and support that will benefit you as a practitioner and offer you further opportunities to extend your knowledge and skills.

Many people believe that a Diploma qualification is a level above a Certificate qualification. Whilst this may be the case in some instances, it may also not be true in others because each determines the breadth of learning rather than the complexity of the subject achieved.

For example, a sports massage diploma awarded by VTCT at Level 3 shows that it reflects the complexity and topics shown against the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) at Level 3 but covers a sufficiently wide range of topics that warrants the award to be a Diploma.

Conversely, you may gain a L4 certificate which therefore shows a higher level of complexity in the topics learned than a L3, but not such a broad range of topics.

Our Level 3 and Level 4 courses which lead to qualifications offered by VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust), are endorsed by REPS for CPD points. (CPD = Continuing Professional Develpment).

Our Sports Injuries Upper and Lower Body courses similarly may lead to a VTCT award and are also endorsed by REPS for CPD points.

Here is an overview and comparison of these two professions as viewed within the United Kingdom. The scope of practice will often vary according to the country and their regulations. Please also consider that educational standards and their regulation are constantly evolving and therefore subject to change.

Sports Therapy is currently unregulated in the UK, and although certain membersdhip organisations formerly applied to The Health Professions Council (HPC) for 'protected title' and a minimum of University Undergraduate Level to practise, HPC will not been considering Sports Therapy for state regulation in the forseeable future (reporting in 2019) - see FAQ below. The remit of sports therapist may be described as having the requisite knowledge and skills to help individuals and teams progress from being able to perform normal daily physical functions to more complex activities involved in sport. This will involve practitioners having a comprehensive understanding of human anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, musculoskeletal injuries and other conditions, healing, exercise, rehabilitation, the effects of exercise, and being able to form an appropriate treatment plan utilising a range of interventions for the promotion of healing and/or athletic performance. Practitioners claiming to be sports therapists should therefore be well-trained and exsperienced in the above areas.

Physiotherapy has a broader scope of practice addressing the needs of a much wider population and range of conditions which are not solely related to increased physical activity. These may include degenerative and medical disorders with the remit of helping individuals return to being able to perform normal daily functions/activities. Training will include medicine and a wider range of manual therapy interventions, although with much less reliance on soft tissue therapy. A full undergraduate programme normally lasts for 4 years and includes field practice in an NHS environment for 12 months. Physiotherapy is nationally regulated in the UK and therefore only those successfully completing minimum training to University Undergraduate level via an approved programme are eligible to practice using the title Physiotherapist. There is consistently strong demand to enter this profession and therefore both the academic standards and numbers of applicants are high.

Sports Massage Therapy encompasses the scientific knowledge and manual therapy skills relating to specific soft tissues, their functions, the effects of manual therapy and exercise on normal, and damaged tissue. The main soft tissues include muscles, fascia, tendons, and ligaments. Level 3 courses address the prevention of injury and performance enhancement, whilst Level 4 includes conditions and injuries commonly suffered in sport or high activity, plus a range of interventions aimed at promoting repair and recovery. 

Sports Therapy entails a higher level of training that includes a wider set of skills and supporting knowledge. There is general agreement within the UK of some core areas which are essential to sports therapy although the emphasis will vary amongst training providers with some favouring soft tissue therapy and others leaning towards rehabilitation or emergency care. It is widely accepted that sports therapy includes: 

• Anatomy and physiology
• Sports massage
• Ethics and Professionalism
• Biomechanics
• Advanced Manual Therapy Skills
• Injury assessment and treatment
• Gait analysis
• Rehabilitation from injury
• First Aid and advanced trauma care
• Taping for Sport
• Other areas sometimes included are Electrotherapy, Strength & Conditioning, and/or Sports Nutrition.

The general area a sports therapist will work in is to help individuals and teams progress from being able to perform normal daily physical functions to sporting and highly skilled activities.

From the mid 1990's onwards, there was a collective effort to establish sports therapy as a 'regulated' profession with protected title through the Health Professions Council (HPC). 'Protected title' would mean that only those who had demonstrated achieving the required standards being allowed to practice under the chosen title; in this case Sports Therapy. The agreement by all those with an interest in this area was that the minimum educational standard to practice in this field would be University Undergraduate level. However, more recently the HPC have restricted applications to those professions where there is deemed to be a risk to the general public. Sports Therapy was not considered to pose any risks and will therefore not be put forward to the HPC unless there is a change in policy in the future. This is not foreseeable at the present time (2019).

Therefore Sports Therapy is currently not regulated although there are membership organisations who continue to promote sports therapy through University programmes. Although these organisations may be highly regarded, they are memberhip rather than recognised educational bodies. This leaves the title of Sports Therapist being one which remains unclear with many Sports Massage and/or Soft Tissue Therapists continuing their training and experience to a level where the service they offer may be regarded under the heading of Sports Therapy.

Our own Higher Diploma in Sports Therapy covers the skills and knowledge considered to be the key components required to demonstrate of a competency in sports therapy.

You must begin with the Certificate course in Sports Massage which leads to a nationally recognised VTCT Level 3 qualification. 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.

You may then progress adopting our flexible award programme which will allow you to train towards our Level 4 Diploma, and on to our individual CPD modules or even our Higher Diploma in Sports Therapy at Level 5, each course providing comprehensive training to expand your range of knowledge and skills, enhancing the expertise for your clients.

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.

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.

Although sports therapy has rapidly gained recognition and acceptance in the UK since the early 1990's, there are relatively few full-time employed positions available. However, more part-time paid opportunities exist with sports clubs, as well as injury clinics where you may work alongside other healthcare practitioners. Most graduates will build practices from different locations, often combining employed and self-employed work. During the practical training for our courses we tackle how to promote start yourself professionally and develop your business.

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.

If you are enrolling on our Level 3 Sports Massage course, you will be required to take the VTCT Anatomy & Physiology Unit as well. However, if you already have a VTCT or equivalent 'standalone' qualification which has the same value of credits, you may apply for Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and thereby be exempt.

VTCT advise that applications for RPL will only be eligible for students who have a current VTCT Level 3 Anatomy & Physiology certificate, or equivalent qualification. This must be an independent award and not form part of another qualification, such as personal training, or similar. A current qualification is one that is generally regarded as having been gained in the last three years.

If you have a qualification but are not sure whether you will be eligible for RPL, please ask and we will be happy to help.

No, all necessary study material including text books and course notes are provided within your course fees.

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 online Learner Management Ssystem, 'Canvas', and continue attending sports evenst providing sports massage through our event organisers.

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. The cost of exams and assessments are included in your course fees, although a small charge will be made for any further attempts.

The course fees are clearly set out and include examination and assessment fees. However, if you should have to resit an examination, additional fees become payable and these are shown on the exam application form. Course textbooks are provided although newcomers to sports therapy will need to purchase a couch, towelling cover and massage oil/lotion.

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 cannot 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.

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.

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.

Currently (2019) HPC have deemed that sports therapy is a profession with minimal risk to the general public and will therefore not be considered for state registration.

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.

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.

At the time of writing (Nov 2018), we understand that sports therapy will not be considered for state regulation under currrent guidelines. The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) who are responsible for setting the criteria for professions being awarded 'protected title' will not be accepting any applications for sports therapy under the present guidelines.

We have withdrawn from our accreditation with the SMA although we are keen supporters of their work in this field. At Sports Therapy UK are constantly monitoring all professional and training developments in sports massage therapy and sports therapy. We are a VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust) approved training provider who are the leading vocational awarding organisation in sports massage and soft tissue therapy and a nationally recognised awarding body. Their awards are based on National Occupational Standards (NOS) linked to the National Qualifications Framework - for further guidance please view NQF/QCF

Our courses are endorsed by the Register of Exercise Porfessionals (REPS) and the Sports Therapy Association. We are also part of the Affinity Professional Indeminty insurance Scheme with Balens Insurance making all our students and graduates eligible for insurance whilst practising.

At Sports Therapy UK, we are pleased to tell you that we have a number of annual sporting events which we are invited by the organisers to attend with teams of sports massage practitioners. These teams include both students and qualified practitioners and are insured to work at these events.

Yes. VTCT (the awarding body), require you to obtain professional indemnity insurance. This should be renewed annually. You may also obtain student cover whilst you are training. Full details of providers and discounts offered to Sports Therapy UK students will be provided when you commence the practical training.

Our Flexible Award Programme allows you to progress at a pace to suit you, although you must complete all exams and assignments for either your Level 3 or Level 4 qualifications no longer than 8 months after the end of your practical training.

Please see individual course details for recommendations concerning the study hours needed to successfully complete each Award. Naturally this is subject to each individual's learning style, prior knowledge, frequency of study, as well as other factors.