HOW DO SOFT TISSUE THERAPISTS FIT INTO THE ELITE SPORTS MEDICINE TEAM – AND WHY ARE THEY THERE AT ALL?

Just what is it that makes a good sports soft tissue therapist a worthwhile contribution to the elite sports medicine team and therefore to any other medical team? This question can be frustrating for some practitioners working within sport who may want to branch out, make a move to another club or team, or work within a private sports injury clinic. This article aims to explain the role of the STT as part of a multidisciplinary team, from the perspective of fellow medical team professionals as well as the athletes.

BY PAULA CLAYTON, MSMA

IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY/ INTERDISCIPLINARY/ TRANSPROFESSIONAL TEAMS CAN SEE THE HUGE VALUE OTHER MEMBERS PLACE ON THE TEAM SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST - BUT MANY DO NOT!

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SOME THERAPISTS AND DOCTORS

INTRODUCTION Soft tissue therapy is the art – and it really is an art – of applying advanced soft tissue techniques and massage to maintain the health of an athlete and enhance performance. Just as no single aspect of performance can be credited for the success of an athlete, so no single service is any more responsible for successful performance than any other. Some therapists and doctors in multidisciplinary/ interdisciplinary/transprofessional teams can see what great value is put upon the soft tissue therapist (STT) by other members of that team (1, 2), so why is this value often kept secret? The delivery of a soft tissue therapy

session is very much dependent on: n the type of sport/event and demands placed on the body

n the type and time of training n the next training session following the STT’s input

n the time between sessions n cross-referral between sports

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doctors, sports physiotherapists and STTs.

The therapist decides, using clinical reasoning, which technique is required in each situation. Injury prevention is vital; therefore, applying soft tissue techniques according to the findings of pre-season screening and assessments of athletes is now mainstay. STTs are trained not only to observe screenings and assessments