Sport Industry Roles: Sport Science and Medicine

In sport, a doctor of a team of athletes usually works as part of a wider team or leads a multidisciplinary team on a range of medical interventions for injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Roles and responsibilities may include:

• Develop and deliver systems and protocols for medical management
• Providing medical support to the athletes during matches and competitions
• Leading athlete assessments and screening processes
• Coordinate medical interventions, treatment plans and referrals
• Maintain accurate recording of athlete medical data
• Acquiring and maintaining relevant equipment to supplement the care provided to athletes
• Oversee the management and storage of medication and stock

Necessary skills & requirements:

• Must be registered with the General Medical Council
• Must be qualified in Sport and Exercise Medicine (or equivalent)
• Effective organisational and planning skills
• Excellent communication skills
• High level of attention to detail

A Massage/Soft Tissue Therapist may also be known as a masseur or masseuse and supports an athlete’s preparation and rehabilitation through manipulation of the body’s soft tissue.

Roles and responsibilities may include:

• Assess symptoms and causes of athlete soft tissue injury and pain through conducting athlete screenings
• Provide injury prevention and recovery through the manual treatment of muscles, tendons, ligaments, tissues and joints
• Monitor an athlete’s neuromusculoskeletal system and determine interventions to benefit an athlete’s motion and posture
• Provide coaches and managers with detailed records and updates on athlete progression
• Work collaboratively with physiotherapists and performance teams to provide overall athlete care programmes

Necessary skills:

• Clinically competent in treating soft tissue damage & injuries
• Excellent clinical assessment and reasoning skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Professional approach to engaging with and gaining trust of athletes and coaching team
• Effective organisational and preparation skills
• Adaptable and reactive to the needs of the athletes and coaching team
• Awareness of emerging interventions and new developments across sport
• Accurate time management

As a physiotherapist you are likely to be responsible for the strength and conditioning as well as the identification and treatment of sport injuries suffered by the athletes.  A physio make work for a team, a sports club, a hospital or clinic or a gym.

Roles and responsibilities may include:

• Deliver proactive and rehabilitative medical services and programmes to athletes
• Support injury management strategies and frameworks for athletes
• Plan and deliver athlete strength and conditioning programmes of development
• Support Sport Scientist and Technicians with all gym screening and testing procedures
• Monitor and record confidential athlete fitness and performance records, including required physiotherapy interventions and consultations, to support athlete management and development
• Ensure clear communication with athletes, coaches and administrators as well as key stakeholders
• Keep up to date with the latest trends, innovations and research within sport to ensure improvements can be recognised and implemented where necessary

Necessary skills:

• Trained and qualified in clinical and manual physiotherapy
• Understanding of acute injuries, including prevention and rehabilitation treatments
• Data analysis and the ability to interpret athlete performance data
• Technology skills to use systems to analyse, record and monitor athletes’ health data
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Professional approach to engaging with and gaining trust of athletes and coaching team
• Effective organisational and preparation skills
• Ability to work as a team yet make concise and rapid decisions when necessary

Sports Psychologists work with athletes to better understand their needs, improve their motivation and focus on their overall well-being.

The roles studies the mental and emotional effects of taking part in sport and focuses on the factors that may effect an athlete’s performance, such as stress, nerves & anxiety, effects of injury, lack of confidence and so on.

The role works closely with coaches, managers and physiotherapists to monitor behaviours and to create a development plan to support the athletes to best improve their performance.

Roles and responsibilities may include:

• Consult with athletes to identify problem areas and difficulties which may be impacting their performance
• Develop diagnostic screening processes
• Create development plans to support an athlete’s emotional well-being
• Work with athlete’s and teams to build systems and interventions to improve self-confidence
• Use strategies to enhance motivation of individuals and teams and set targets/goals to achieve
• Work with coaches and managers to improve communication and better engage with athletes
• Assist physiotherapists to support athletes to cope with the effects of injury
• Help athletes to mentally prepare for key fixtures, competitions and tournaments

Necessary skills:

• Thorough understanding of sports culture and the associated pressures of being an athlete
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Motivation and emotional encouragement
• Innovation and excellent problem-solving skills
• Professional approach to engaging with and gaining trust of athletes and coaching team
• Ability to build strategies that effectively support an athlete’s confidence, moral, preparation and performance
• Provide athletes with coping strategies to deal with injuries and/or setbacks
• Active listening skills
• Effective organisational and preparation skills
• Ability to work as a team yet make concise and rapid decisions when necessary