The United States of Sports Therapy: A commentary on current progress and challenges of the profession.

In the UK, the sports therapy profession has steadily evolved, in little over 20 years, to a position whereby practitioners are generally accepted for being able to provide a safe, reliable, effective, autonomous and evidence-based contribution to the well-being, fitness, performance and recovery of their athletes and patients. As an emerging profession, it is experiencing the numerous and various challenges which must naturally accompany the essential process of gaining acceptance and recognition from other healthcare professions, sporting associations and the general public.

While bone loss is a natural and normal consequence of ageing, some people are more predisposed to suffering from the associated fractures. Bone mass decreases with age and those older than 80 are at particular risk. The lifetime risk for women is as high as 50%, compared to around 20% in men; the reduced risk due to generally higher bone mass levels in males, and women ceasing to produce oestrogen following the menopause.

Sports therapy has been described as a care profession, and yet little research exists regarding the factors which promote or hinder the caring/working relationship between practitioner and client/patient. Compassion fatigue occurs when individuals are unable to continue bearing the trauma of others, and might lead to a significant reduction in well-being and work capacity in a care profession. Yet whilst compassion fatigue has been studied in many healthcare professions, no research to date has focussed on its prevalence in sport therapy.

There is debate regarding the type of exercise that optimally benefits development of the rectus abdominis (RA) muscle. Currently, the abdominal crunch is the exercise of choice, although comparative research is limited. The current study compared the myoelectric action potential (MAP), using root mean square (RMS), of the RA musculature during execution of 10 different abdominal exercises (AE).

At the conclusion of the previous article in this series (Research Concepts and Methods part 4, Journal of Sports Therapy Vol. 5 Issue. 1), I referred to the potential for researchers to generate qualitative outputs from quantitative data inputs. This is one of four configurations possible once the notion of a full complimentarity of methods is adopted, rather than the dichotomous choice between objective and subjective analyses. The other three combinations are quantitative data inputs with quantitative analytical outputs; qualitative inputs with quantitative outputs; and qualitative inputs with qualitative outputs, the latter being broadly accepted as interpretivist analysis.

‘Therapeutic Stretching’ and ‘Postural Assessment’, both by chartered physiotherapist Jane Johnson, are reviewed here by Jeanette Lewis. Johnson has a history in teaching massage therapy, and with this series of ‘Hands-On’ books she is able to call upon her years of experience in the teaching environment.

Members of the JST Editorial Board

Welcome to Volume 5, Issue 2 of the JST – The 2012 Summer Issue!
We are sure that everyone reading this will be reeling in from the glow of an incredible summer of sport. The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics were an absolute celebration of sport, human endeavour, community and inclusivity – with a legacy for all but the most cynical to observe. In July, the Journal of Sports Therapy held its own ceremony in Birmingham; a very successful website launch was attended by sports therapy students and practitioners who were treated to an afternoon of hospitality, trade exhibitions and presentations.