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10 Good reasons to see a sports therapist

September 09, 2025

What is sports therapy?

The Society of Sports Therapists describes sports therapy as:

“an aspect of healthcare that is specifically concerned with the prevention of injury and the rehabilitation of the patient back to optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness, regardless of age and ability.”

There are some common misconceptions about sports therapy, who it’s for and how it can help you, so let’s start by addressing those.

Sports therapy isn’t just for athletes

A sports therapist is a healthcare professional who specialises in helping all kinds of people stay active, pain-free and performing at their best.

That includes professional athletes. But it can also be runners, gym-goers, weekend footballers and people who do any form of exercise — regardless of their age or physical ability.

Sports therapy isn’t just for sports injuries

More often than not, people will see a sports therapist when they’ve been injured or have started experiencing sports-related pain.

But a sports therapist can offer you so much more than that.

In this article, we’ll look at what a sports therapist does and when you might benefit from seeing one.

What does a sports therapist do?

A sports therapist can:

Optimise your performance and movement
Help you prepare for specific events or games
Help you move safely and prevent injuries
Diagnose and treat your sports injuries
Provide rehabilitation after a sports injury.

10 Good reasons to see a sports therapist

1. You have a sports injury

Sports injuries are the most common reason for seeing a sports therapist.

They can help with a range of injuries including:

Joint sprains
Aches and pains
Muscle strains and tears
Tendon and ligament problems.

A sports therapist will assess your injury, offer suitable treatment and support your recovery, so you can get back to your activities.

2. You have sports-related pain

If you’ve been training hard or exerting yourself, it’s normal for your muscles to feel sore for a couple of days. But if the discomfort continues for longer, starts to get worse, or keeps coming back, it’s sensible to get it checked.

Addressing the pain early can help to prevent injury and further problems.

A sports therapist will be able to diagnose the pain, then offer recommendations and care, such as:

Advice on how to train more effectively
Rehabilitation to restore strength and mobility
Educating you on how to prevent injury
Hands-on treatment, like massage and manual therapy.

3. You have persistent discomfort

If you have recurring tightness or pain after doing certain activities, this could be a sign of a deeper issue.

A sports therapist won’t just treat your symptoms. They’ll find and treat the source of the pain, which is the best way to stop it coming back.

4. You’re not moving as well as you were

Maybe you’re experiencing stiffness, tension or pinching when you move in certain ways. Perhaps you’ve started to avoid making those movements. And maybe this is holding you back from your sports and physical activities.

A sports therapist will assess what’s going on and diagnose the root cause. They can then offer treatment to restore your mobility and flexibility.

As you improve, your sports therapist will help to rebuild your confidence and trust in your body. They can also educate you on better training habits to prevent the problem from recurring.

5. You’re starting a new sport or training plan

Maybe you want to try a new sport or activity that will test you physically. Or maybe you’ve decided to train for event, like a marathon or Tough Mudder.

Before you start, you might want to make sure you have the strength and flexibility you’re going to need. And this is where a sports therapist can help.

Using movement screening, they’ll assess your posture, mobility and movement patterns. If they identify any areas of weakness or limitation, they can address these before you put them under pressure.

A sports therapist can also provide guidance and personalised training to sharpen your technique and enhance your performance.

6. You feel off balance

Good balance is vital when you live an active lifestyle.

But if one side of your body seems weaker, more limited or more laboured than the other, seeing a sports therapist could help.

They can assess the flexibility and movement on both sides of your body. This will highlight any compensation patterns that need to be corrected.

With hands-on treatment, they can work on any tightness, improve your mobility and help to restore your balance.

And with exercise, they’ll help strengthen areas of weakness and improve your body’s symmetry, so both sides are working together efficiently. This will improve your technique when playing sports or training, so your body stays balanced.

7. You want to prevent sports injuries

Are you experiencing some minor discomfort after a sporting activity or training session?

Many people wait until the pain becomes more intense before they do anything about it. But this can be a mistake.

Seeing a sports therapist at the first sign of a problem can stop it from developing into something more serious. And it could save you from weeks, or even months, away from your sport or training.

8. You’re returning to sport after a break

Sometimes we’re forced to take a break from the sports or activities we enjoy. Maybe you’ve taken time out to recover from an injury or surgery. Or maybe life got in the way and you’ve had other priorities to deal with.

Returning to sport after a break like this can be daunting. You might feel out of practice or less confident in your abilities.

A sports therapist can support your return to sport. They can develop a structured, personalised plan to help you get back to full fitness and back to the sports you enjoy.

9. You spend a lot of time sitting

You work in a job where you’re sitting for most of the day — and this is impacting your ability to train or play sports.

Sitting for long periods can cause a range of issues, including:

Tight hips
Poor posture
Lower back pain
Rounded shoulders
Reduced circulation
Weakness in your core.

A sports therapist will assess you and diagnose any issues.

They can then:

Provide treatments to work on tight muscles and restore mobility
Recommend corrective exercises to activate the muscles you’re not using
Teach you stretches and strategies to break up long sitting times.

10. You want to improve your performance

Maybe you want to move better, train more efficiently or improve your technique to reduce your risk of injury.

With their vast knowledge of sports and the human body, a sports therapist can support you to improve your technique and performance. So you can do better in the sports and activities you enjoy.