Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation BSc (Hons)

You are introduced to aspects of clinical, functional and surface anatomy. Knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and its function is fundamental in all aspects of sports therapy and rehabilitation. Explore anatomy and human movement and learn about key concepts and theory.

Explore a series of competency-based scientific methods for assessing human performance. You assess the physiological systems of the body, such as the cardio-respiratory system, skeletal muscle and the metabolic system, and investigate the biomechanical principles underpinning movement technique. Discuss important theories and background knowledge, and gain sport science lab skills, such as taking blood, measuring oxygen uptake, monitoring heart rate and movement analysis using 3D motion capture, and assessing ground reaction forces.

Expand your knowledge of professional issues in healthcare and develop the interpersonal and study skills you’ll rely on throughout your studies and transition into industry. Explore key concepts in practice and professional conduct and learn how this affects clinical practice. You gain access to patients in the in-house massage clinic under the supervision of the clinical educators. This hands-on experience allows you to implement the skills you develop in other modules.

Develop your theoretical understanding and practical application of sports massage techniques. Learn theoretical concepts and create topical discussion on the application of techniques in the sporting environment. You expand on this theory, practicing and developing soft tissue massage techniques. You practice on peers under the supervision of the lecturing team to ensure you are safe and effective in your practice. These essential skills allow you to begin clinical experience and collate placement hours in the massage clinic.

Develop your skills of diagnostic examination assessment and immediate treatment of sports injuries. This is the first step to gain the professional skills required as a practitioner in the field of sports therapy and rehabilitation. This comprises the role of the practitioner in diagnosis, understanding and prevention of common musculoskeletal injury.

Further develop your skills of assessment and acute injury management gained in year one. Key concepts and theory are introduced, and you develop your problem-solving skills and patient handling. You practice these skills on your peers and learn additional elements, including taping and strapping techniques, and indications for and application of electrotherapy.

Gain an in-depth understanding of manual therapy techniques used in the assessment and management of musculoskeletal patients. Cover various hands-on approaches, such as joint mobilisation and other manual therapy techniques. Explore the theoretical underpinnings of these therapies, the biomechanics of the human body, and their application in the management of injuries and neuro-musculoskeletal dysfunction. Learn about the clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice required to safely and effectively integrate manual therapy into a broader rehabilitation programme for athletes and patients.

You are equipped with the knowledge of relevant research methods to develop a research proposal, which must be ethical and realistic. With this aim in mind, you are introduced to the key elements of quantitative and qualitative research design, methods and measurement, and a variety of data analysis techniques that allow you to answer different types of research questions.

Develop your awareness for special populations and the nutritional and psychological demands on injured/uninjured athletes. You widen your understanding of more complex issues surrounding rehabilitation. Gain basic knowledge of assisting special populations and athletes with nutritional and psychological needs, within rehabilitation setting parameters.

Gain the confidence and practical skills to formulate and apply sport-specific progressive rehabilitation interventions, in relation to the injured athlete/person. The importance of therapeutic exercise in the rehabilitation is highlighted through a practical teaching strategy and problem-solving approach. Key topics are introduced, and you are encouraged to participate in practical sessions to develop your skills of progressive rehabilitation. This takes place in both land and gym-based settings and the University’s hydrotherapy pool.

This is a 20-credit module.

You improve your understanding of the processes involved in setting up a self-employed business within your discipline. Develop your understanding of business plans, cash-flows, marketing, taxes, accounting and leadership.

Practical experience is an integral component of this degree. You are placed in a sports injury environment, where you meet the complexities of real clinical situations. You retrieve and synthesise material previously learned and integrate it with new information gathered in relation to the patient. You apply practical, academic and other key skills appropriately, with the whole process organised through the sequence of data collection – including patient examination and assessment, interpretation, synthesis and evaluation. Your sound clinical reasoning must be justified from a theoretical underpinning and appreciation of evidence. This is followed by your application of skilful and safe treatment and inter-personal strategies.

Enhance your clinical skills, and carry out evidence-based problem solving, with a clinical reasoning approach to learning. You use the assessment, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation skills you’ve developed to manage sport and health-related injuries. Through reflection, you evaluate the use of evidence-based practice and the challenges of implementing this into clinical practice. You study major peripheral joints and carry out an in-depth critical approach to patient management, using skills learnt from previous modules. Recent controversies within sports medicine are discussed and critiqued including closed kinetic or open kinetic chain activity, and accelerated v’s or traditional rehabilitation programmes. You evaluate and put into practice the principles of sport-specific rehabilitation protocols, functional progression, functional musculoskeletal screening and the sensitivity and specificity of special tests.

Gain multidisciplinary knowledge, understanding and insight into the principles, concepts and terminology underpinning pathologies and injury management for first aid, common orthopaedic conditions and traumatic injury. You synthesise and critically reflect on the theoretical knowledge and consider the role of the sports therapist and rehabilitation in the management of patients with traumatic injuries, through a problem-based learning approach. You discuss important theoretical concepts and advance your trauma management skills, clinical reasoning and problem solving.

Conduct your own in-depth scientific investigation in an area of your choice, within the field of sport, exercise and rehabilitation. With guidance from your supervisor, you use scientific methods to explore interesting research questions. Your aim is to discover new knowledge to support the progress of applied and theoretical work, within your chosen discipline.