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Saffron Hall, a second year BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy student from the University of South Wales (USW) has successfully completed a placement with World Wrestling Entertainment Inc (WWE). As part of her studies, Saffron has completed a number of placements but this one in particular was a little different… How many students can say they have provided soft tissue therapy to the Undertaker!? Recently, The WWE took over the Principality Stadium for the ‘Clash at the Castle’ event. Whilst there, some of the wrestlers requested soft tissue support, and student Saffron was on hand to help. We’ll let Saffron tell the story from here: “I was asked to do some massage work with the WWE and of course I said yes!  I had no idea what was involved or who I’d be working with but nevertheless I said yes. I arrived at the New Theatre Cardiff where The Undertaker was holding his ‘1 Deadman Show’ ahead of the main event later that day. I was given my own backstage pass and after chatting to some of the security there I was introduced to Larry Heck who has worked alongside the Undertaker for over 20 years, and he told me I’d be providing the Undertaker with a relaxing massage in between his shows. I was obviously nervous, but the excitement took over. After asking what he was looking for from his treatment, I realised that a “relaxing” massage for him included a lot of deep tissue work due to his high pain tolerance! The treatment lasted 90 minutes – it was tiring but the conversations we were having really distracted me from any tiredness I was feeling as he was such an interesting guy.”  Saffron has also completed a placement over the summer with Cardiff Rugby, so how did working with a WWE wrestler compare to working with professional rugby players? “Working in a rugby environment really helped me to believe in myself due to feedback I’d previously had – It made me know I was more than capable of doing something as big as this. Plus, I was already used to massaging people of big build who can take a lot of pressure (although I’d never massaged someone who was 6ft 10 before!)”  How do you feel now you’ve had this experience? “I was just absolutely amazed and so, so proud of myself. It was the most surreal experience ever. Although I knew it was different to anything I’ve done before, working with Cardiff Rugby really made me believe in myself and I took it all in my stride and did what I do best – one experience just led to the other and I’ve gained so much confidence from this” Course leader Dr Kate Williams said: “We are immensely proud of our students at USW – it’s great to see students putting themselves forward for placements. Even if they are a little unsure to start, they really grow from these experiences and they create interesting topics of conversation on CVs and job applications. It’s what sets our students apart.” Well done, Saffron!  

The Society of Sports Therapists is saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty, The Queen. We extend our deepest sympathies to The Royal Family.  

After the success of Therapy Expo last year, a very strong cast of Society of Sports Therapists (SST) Members will be speaking at Therapy Expo 2022, together with Society President Professor Graham Smith, who will Chair a number of sessions over the two days. Speakers include: Saffron Allen Jill Alexander Kate Cady Dale Forsdyke Michael Cole Kirsty Hopgood Thomas Hames Sally Waterworth Kim Hutt Kate Williams Maria Westwell Jennifer Wilson What makes Therapy Expo an exciting event is that it is a multi- professional event for therapy professionals from both graduate and vocational, education backgrounds. It also has a great trade show. Members will be speaking on a range of topics ranging from ‘Cryotherapy for recovery in elite athletes’ to ‘Runners’ Biomechanics – from track to ultra runners’, to ‘Structural humility in Sport, Exercise & Physical Therapy’. Therapy Expo say: ‘We connect and link together all parts of the therapy community and that’s why we’re unique.’ You can find out about our Members and all the speakers here: https://www.therapyexpo.co.uk/speakers-vwf2  For details of how you can book and your SST Member discount, log in and visit SST Extra: https://thesst.org/sst-extra/ Your ticket will give you over 70 hours of accredited CPD education. Included in your 2 day conference pass: • A grab-and-go lunch on both days of the event. • Access to all the content and theatres. • Access to the RockTape Movement Summit. • Complimentary access to the CPR Training Zone. You will need to book before the 30th September to ensure you receive the latest discounted rate.

Following the renewal of the partnership between The Society of Sports Therapist (SST) and Transplant Sport UK, Society Member and Chair of the Communications Group, Hayley Clarke paid a visit to the British Transplant Games 2022 in Leeds. Reflecting upon her experience, she said: “What a humbling and eye-opening experience! Seeing so many athletes of all ages take part in competitive sports is impressive but knowing that every single one of them has received a transplant (sometimes multiple) is just incredible. Think about this, would you compete in sport if you had been through all the challenges of organ transplantation? The operations, the medication… it’s simply inspirational!”   The Games were supported by a multidisciplinary team of Therapists who all voluntarily gave their time and expertise to provide care and treatment for the athletes. Society Members from both Coventry University and Student Members from Leeds Beckett University formed a key  part of the Therapy Team for the event. Hayley spent some time with the Therapy Team and tells us: “The one thing that really stood out to me was how humble and sincerely grateful the athletes were for the therapy support they received. They showed such high praise and kindness towards the therapy team, it was really lovely to witness.   “A huge congratulations must go to all of the Therapists involved, but I was especially proud of my fellow SST Members and Student Members who so expertly represented our profession.” Transplant Sport is a fantastic opportunity for Society Members to get involved. Full details of the brand-new Travelling Scholarship to attend the World Transplant Games in Perth, April 2023, will be announced shortly.

The partnership between The Society of Sports Therapists (SST) and Transport Sport UK is set to continue with a renewed sponsorship of the Transplant Sport UK Therapy Team for 2022-2023. The relationship which began back in 2019 and saw the first Transplant Sport Conference at Coventry University, will this year take on a fresh new look. While funding will be ear marked for much needed medical supplies for the team, part of the fee will be ring fenced for a Transplant Sport Travelling Scholarship, sponsoring a Graduate Member of The SST to travel to Perth, Australia in April 2023, as part of the Therapy team for the World Transplant Games. The Travelling Scholarship is a first for both organisations and adds to The SST’s portfolio of Travelling Scholarship opportunities for its Members. The SST’s newly appointed CEO, Sally Steadman said: ‘We are delighted to be working with Transplant Sport UK once again and this innovative new arm of  the sponsorship provides a brilliant opportunity for a Society Member to gain experience working with Transplant Athletes and its highly experienced team of Therapists. And, of course, the winner of the Scholarship is sure to enjoy a trip of a lifetime.’ Throughout its time working with Transplant Sport, The SST has welcomed the openness of the Therapy team to acknowledge both the skills of its Graduate Members and the developing skills and knowledge of its Student Members; 10 of whom will be representing the Society and Leeds Beckett University at the British Transplant Games. Lead Therapist Alison Bloxham, a Physiotherapist by profession, said: ‘The alliance between The Society of Sports Therapists and Transplant Sport UK has been a rich and rewarding one. All members of the team are self-funded, so the sponsorship is a huge help. We are all excited about the development of the Travelling Scholarship which we hope will inspire more Society Members to work with Transplant Athletes.’ Full details of this brand new Travelling Scholarship will be announced shortly. Photo courtesy of Phil Horan Photography

The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) is a highly respected portal containing quality, peer reviewed resources, relevant to the Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) community. The Society is proud to be associated with BJSM and continues to support the benefit of free access to its Members.  The July 2022 issue (Volume 56 -14) of the BJSM, entitled “Sports Therapists: An Integral Part of Multidisciplinary Teams” marks a significant moment for The Society of Sports Therapists and the Sports Therapy profession. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of SST President Professor Graham Smith, SST Director Kristian Weaver (Authors) and SST Members Kirsty Hopgood and Dr Dale Forsdyke (Editors), Sports Therapy has been successfully placed in the spotlight amongst the SEM community. Reflecting upon the history of the Society and the principles on which it was first formed, Professor Graham Smith’s warm up article takes us through a journey of relevance. Bringing into alignment the development of these principles with that of the SEM landscape, it is evident that the foundations in which the Society is built upon have stood the test of time. The importance of ensuring that Therapists working with athletes at all levels are adequately and appropriately trained, is still as relevant today as it was in 1990.  Closing this month’s edition with the service spotlight article, Director Kristian Weaver reflects upon the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and celebrates the achievements of Society Members Richard Luddington and Megan Williams from Fit Again Sports Therapy Clinic, Cambridge. The duo professionally adapted their practices, integrating telehealth technologies to ensure their community could still access Sports Therapy services for free via their #ReciprocatingKindness campaign.  To read the full articles, login and visit https://thesst.org/membership/members-bjsm/ Once you have had a look at this latest edition, you might also like to take another look at a previous article from Society President. Professor Graham Smith, published in BJSM and entitled:  Same label- different product : time to review the hiring criteria for therapists in sport: Same label—different product: time to review the hiring criteria for therapists in sport | British Journal of Sports Medicine (bmj.com)

The Society of Sports Therapists (SST) is delighted to welcome York St John University (YSJ) to its academic family. The BSc (Hons) in Sports & Exercise Therapy was accredited in June of this year and the new course commences in September 2022. A great deal of hard work has been put in by the YSJ team, especially Dr Dale Forsdyke, Programme Lead and Senior Lecturer in Sports Injury Management and Jamie Salter, Senior Lecturer in Sport Science and Injury, and from an SST perspective by SST President Professor Graham Smith, Associate Education Liaison Officer Howard Piccaver and the Education documentation team. Society Member Dr Forsdyke said: ‘There has never been a better time to study Sport and Exercise Therapy and at York St John University we are delighted to be offering a Society of Sports Therapists accredited programme. This status means we will be developing our students on a high-quality and rigorous programme that will provide them the best possible opportunities. We are really looking forward to developing excellent Sports Therapists of the future and driving the profession onwards.’ Professor Smith said: ‘Accreditation by The Society of Sports Therapists is never a forgone conclusion, but it has been a real pleasure to work with the York St John team. We have had some great academic discussions along the way and we wish Dale and the team every success with the programme, as they move forward.’

A select team of students from the BSc Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation degree programme at Derby University are currently supporting the medical provision for British Cycling. This role has provided students with the unique opportunity to run weekly sports therapy clinics for the professional athletes who include endurance squad members, senior academy riders and Olympic medallists. British Cycling headquarters are based at the HSBC UK National Cycling Centre in Manchester however, due to training facility renovations, the British cyclists have relocated to Derby to complete a 6-month training period based at the Velodrome, Pride Park. The students were selected through interview to support the athletes and they have been doing a fantastic job working to improve the athlete’s performance and enable them to maintain high training demands. We spoke to Deputy Programme Lead, Jeanette Lewis to find out more: Providing Sports Therapy support to high profile athletes is a fantastic opportunity and a privilege to be involved in. You have told us that you conducted an interview selection process with your students in order for them to participate. Can you tell us what key attributes/qualities you looked for in your students? During the interview for Team GB medical support, we were looking for some attributes. Students had to demonstrate that they were keen to work as part of a small team, be interested and knowledgeable in cycling and its training/competition demands, adaptable, and most importantly highly enthusiastic! Taking us through a typical training day schedule for a professional cyclist, can you give us some examples of the activities which your students were able to get involved in? (e.g., Pre training assessments, both injury and performance related/Rehab/S&C) – What equipment/facilities did they have access to/use that you possibly wouldn’t see elsewhere, particularly at lower level? The sports therapy students were involved mainly in the recovery sessions for the cyclists. Following training at the Velodrome at Pride Park, Derby, Team GB athletes would then attend the sports injury clinic on campus at Kedleston Road. Student therapists completed soft tissue work, STR/MET/stretching etc. They were also given the opportunity to observe the athletes training at the velodrome and observe individual riders completing strength and conditioning training on site at the University of Derby performance suite which contains specialist equipment perfect for the preparation of the athletes ahead of the Commonwealth Games. Working alongside other MDT professionals is a fantastic opportunity and helps Sports Therapists to explore wider aspects within our breadth of practice. What other MDT professionals are working with the cyclists during the training period? Have your students been able to learn from them and can you give us some examples? Team GB have an excellent range of experts working with the riders. MDT members include coaches, S&C coaches, physiotherapists, first aiders, sports therapists to name a few. Our students were mostly involved with the lead Physiotherapist Katie Flatters and lead Sports Therapist Hannah Crowley from team GB. Hannah also came onto campus in February to do an upskilling session for the students and prepare them for working with the elite athletes. This was a fantastic experience, and although the students were nervous at first, they were soon keen to put their new clinical skills into practice. Current Student Member, Bea Fallows captured what it meant to her when she said: “To sum up my experience working with British cycling in one word would have to be, astounding! I have gained an invaluable insight into what it is like to work with elite sporting athletes. I feel very lucky to have been given the opportunity to work with elite athletes from all around the world” For Jeanette, it has been a great experience for her and her students and she is justifiably proud of what they have achieved. She said: “To give some of our Sports Therapy students the opportunity to work with Olympic medallists is the sort of opportunity you dream of as a lecturer. I am very grateful that we have been given the chance to work with Team GB and it has been such a fun and rewarding process. I really hope we can provide future opportunities for our students of this level. Seeing the confidence it has given all the students involved has been fantastic, and I am very proud to have been involved in the entire project” 

The Society of Sports Therapists is once again delighted to be part of the BASEM 2022 Annual Conference : Positive Health & Performance taking place at the Grand Hotel, Brighton on Thursday 26 & Friday 27th May One of the Conference aims is: ‘To bring together leading academic scientists, researchers, and clinicians to exchange and share their experiences and research results in the hot topics in elite sport and sport and exercise medicine. https://basem.co.uk/event/basem-2022-annual-conference/ So, it is with great pride that three SST members, Dr Jen Wilson, Dr Dale Forsdyke and Dr Kate Williams will be presenting and Society President, Professor Graham N.Smith will be chairing the session. It will take place on Day 1 Thursday 26th May: SESSION II 12.45 -14.15 Empress Room The Society of Sports Therapist’s Session: IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT EXERCISE – OR IS IT? Chair – Professor Graham N. Smith • Dr Kate Williams Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Therapy at University of South Wales The challenges of injury prevention in sport • Dr Dale Forsdyke: Senior Lecturer in Sports Injury Management The psychological implications of long term injury during rehabilitation • Dr Jen Wilson: Programme Leader for BSc Sport Therapy and Rehabilitation at University of Derby •Integrating strength & conditioning in a rehabilitation context Panel Q&A SESSION We wish the SST team and all speakers taking part, the very best for a great conference

Society Member Paloma Gioia has kick started her Sports Therapy career by securing, not one, but two roles within high level football: Sports Therapist for England Schools FA Girls U15s International Football, and Head Therapist for Connah’s Quay Nomads Football Club – Cymru Football, National League of Wales. Impressively, she has managed to achieve this, alongside setting up her own private practice clinic: PG Sports Therapy (Flintshire, Wales) within just one year of graduating from Edge Hill University! We asked Paloma to tell us more about her different roles, how she secured them and what they each involve. Tell us about your journey since graduating from Edge Hill University – How did you first get involved in high level football? Since graduating from Edge Hill University, my life has been nonstop, definitely in a good way. I feel like my journey started from the moment I had my mind set on becoming a Sports Therapist. I gained a first aid qualification through the FAW and became Crowd First Aider at Connah’s Quay Nomads Football Club for all of their home games. I used to watch their First Team Therapist, and this was something I aspired to be. I then applied to University, where the real hard work began. During year 1, I independently approached Connah’s Quay to observe their Sports Therapist during training and matches. Then through year 2, COVID-19 happened. It was really difficult to access placements through my University during this period, so again, I decided to reach out and find one myself at a more local football club. Despite the circumstances, this was probably one of my favourite placements, masked and gloved up with an apron on, taking players temperature checks and taking daily COVID checks, I was being exposed to an environment I wanted to work in. As year 3 came, I was offered the position as the Academy Matchday Therapist for Connah’s Quay, this was perfect as it wasn’t too demanding so I could still focus on my dissertation and other exams, but it was allowing me to work pitch side and provide First Aid independently on the field of play to academy players at the club, where I had responsibility and a duty of care. Soon following graduation from University, I was offered the First Team Head Therapist position at Connah’s Quay which I couldn’t believe as a new graduate! I was walking into the full time, professional Cymru Premiers back-to-back league champions as their Sports Therapist to assess, manage and treat all of their first team players as part of a multidisciplinary team alongside management staff, Sports Scientist, Strength and Conditioning Coach and Club Doctor. Some fellow classmates said to me ‘how can you do it, how do you know what to do?’ but I felt ready to embrace this new challenge, having worked so hard through University, getting a First and gaining confidence through all the experience I had gained over the recent years. What would you say are some of the key differences, in terms of your practice as a Sports Therapist, when working with adult male football compared to youth female football? Nothing changes clinically in regard to how I carry out my assessments or treatments. From a 15-year-old schoolgirl representing England, to your star footballer of the Welsh Premier League squad, I’m always performing the same role, but in a different environment. However,have noticed that psychologically I undertake a different role with the Youth Female athletes. I have noticed that this may be due to the increased pressure they experience at this age, potentially bringing on anxiety, which I have seen to be subconsciously manifested as an ‘injury’, after assessing the player. This may be related to the Female athlete experiencing hormonal changes at this age, affecting their moods, behaviour, and predisposition to injury. In contrast, working with Adult Male Professional footballers, I have experienced many conflicts of interests between both management staff and players regarding player availability. This can happen both on and off the field of play, where a player has presented with enough clinical signs to be removed from the field of play but insists they remain playing, whilst the manager is on the touchline telling them to continue with play. My role is to always remain focused on the players safety and welfare with their best interests at the forefront of my mind. This sometimes proves difficult when I’m the only medical staff present, though this is a fundamental part of my role as a Sports Therapist and with hindsight this is more often than not respected when justifying my decision. What about travelling internationally with the England U15’s – Do you travel as part of a multi-disciplinary team? Do you take on additional responsibilities which draw upon the breadth of your practice as a Sports Therapist? Yes, the management team is made up of professionals across the UK who come together and travel to all international duties. We conduct meetings throughout the season in order to keep up to date, due to staff living so far apart and the Girls being at their home RTC’s. When on international camps or tours, I am responsible for managing all squad medical records. These are all kept confidential and travel with me for data protection purposes and so that I always have them to hand to refer back to, as you always need things when you least expect it! Prior to the event, I will liaise with each player’s RTC Physiotherapist, Sports Therapist or Doctor to make myself aware of a players injury status and establish if they are currently injured or undergoing treatment, to ensure a safe transition with their rehabilitation. Each day, I will conduct a wellness check with each player. This covers questions regarding general health, symptom complaints, sleep quality and feelings. I feel this has been beneficial as it allows me to hold 1:1 conversations with players, giving them an opportunity to talk to someone whilst away from parents for a period of time, being aware of the FA Safeguarding Policy and demonstrating a duty of care. You also find time to run your injury clinic “PG Sports Therapy” – what type of clients do you work with here? Athletes, general public, gym goers or a mix? Having my own injury clinic and working within this sort of environment exposes me to a wide range of injuries from people of all ages from under 8 years old up to 78 years old. The type of patients I work with include a mixture of sporting and non-sporting populations. I have worked with sporting athletes, both recreational and elite, such as gymnasts, Olympic weightlifters, footballers, rugby players, ex-Olympic skiers, netball players, figure skaters, dancers, musical theatre performers, boxers, and martial artists. Non-sporting athletes include your regular gym goers, office workers, nurses, dentists, magistrates, and teachers. All of these patients present with different injuries, some including post-ACL reconstructions, ankle arthroscopies, patella degenerations, lower back pain, neck injuries, fat pad syndromes, nerve impingements, wrist fractures and plenty more! Though I get a lot of knee injuries which present as the same ‘textbook injury’, it highlights the importance of a thorough assessment as each injury presents differently even if they sound the same subjectively, which then changes my justification for treatment. You’ve achieved a lot in a short period of time since graduating – what top tips would you give to SST Students who are approaching the end of their degree studies and hoping to seek employment in the coming months? My top tip would be going the extra mile in everything you do. Throughout University, I always aimed to increase my knowledge surrounding different areas of sports therapy. I did the work, I engaged in extra reading, actively engaged with the SST website, completed tasks, made my essays that bit more challenging by pushing myself because I aspired to be an autonomous practitioner. As a student I gained exposure within different clinical settings that I could potentially work in during the future. Yes – sometimes it was daunting and yes, I thought at times “how am I ever going to be like the therapists I am observing?”.  I knew that by doing that extra reading or getting that experience, whether it be observational, hands-on, or even practising your skills at home with parents, it all adds up and makes that extra difference. University is like the foundation before you journey as a full member of the Society really begins. Since University last year, I have learnt so much, which I’m now sharing with students whom I have taken on myself for placements. I don’t think I will ever get to the end of learning because there is just so much literature and evidence out there which is always changing, but as long as you know that you have done everything you can for yourself, exams, placements, etc. you’re in the right direction for success! Photograph credit: Nik Mesney – NCM Media