Soft Tissue Therapy is the management, manipulation and rehabilitation of the soft tissues of the body to restore/enhance tissue extensibility, reduce tissue discomfort and impact positively on performance.
It is frequently used as a complementary modality within the wider training and competition recovery strategy and as a targeted treatment intervention under the guidance of the physiotherapy team to influence tissue mobility.
Our Soft Tissue Therapists are instrumental in an athlete’s preparation. They work collaboratively within a wider interdisciplinary team to minimise injury risk, maximise performance and increase athlete’s ability to train and compete.
Their knowledge of soft tissue maintenance and rehabilitation is intelligence-led and delivered with creativity. Their purpose is to ensure solutions align with the bespoke requirements of the sport and athlete.
Our Soft Tissue Therapists strive to deliver an exceptional performance support service to Welsh and British athletes. Through an integrated and holistic approach to athlete support, we can adopt a person first approach that aligns with the Institute’s core values.
At Sport Wales Institute Soft Tissue Therapists provide effective soft tissue treatment and aim to educate the athlete in the benefits of soft tissue therapy both as a preventative measure and as a means of recovery. A programme will be devised based on both the athlete’s specific sport and their individual needs.
Our overarching purpose is underpinned by our ability to build relationships that allow us to better connect to the sport, coaches and athletes.
This enables us to achieve our core objectives:
Physical Preparation
Soft Tissue Therapists often work closely with Physiotherapists and Strength & Conditioning coaches to gain insight into their strength and movement competencies. This is enhanced by an open environment that promotes integrated working.
Prevention of Injury/Risk minimisation
In collaboration with Institute staff, Soft Tissue Therapists will also reflect on an athlete’s daily monitoring enabling them to recognise predispositions to injury and prepare athletes to minimise risk.
Where injuries do occur, Soft Tissue Therapists will liaise with fellow practitioners to plan cutting-edge rehabilitation strategies to enable athletes to return to full performance.
Performance Enhancement
Our Soft Tissue Therapists take a collaborative approach in understanding the critical physical determinants of a sport and what it takes to achieve the desired performance outcome.
Sport Wales’ Soft Tissue Therapists are highly regarded practitioners, who understand what it takes to perform at the top level. They do and have worked with a range of sports in-house and at a variety of international competitions and training camps linked in with Commonwealth Games, European & British Championships. All the Soft Tissue Therapists are members of the Sports Massage Association Membership have a recognised qualification, more than eight years post qualification experience and a CPD record of 40 hours per annum on average.
Our Soft Tissue Therapists work together with all disciplines within the Sports Science and Medicine department, ensuring a holistic approach around each athlete.
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