Sports Therapist Job Description
Use this template to create a clear, professional Sports Therapist vacancy that outlines clinical duties, required qualifications and the type of caseload candidates will manage.
What does a Sports Therapist professional do?
Hire a clinically competent Sports Therapist with a recognised qualification, hands-on experience in musculoskeletal assessment and rehabilitation, and strong communication skills for working with athletes and active clients.
Sports Therapist job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Sports Therapist
About the role
We are recruiting a qualified Sports Therapist to assess, treat and rehabilitate musculoskeletal injuries for athletes and active individuals. You will deliver manual therapy, design progressive exercise programmes, monitor recovery using outcome measures and liaise with multidisciplinary colleagues to support return-to-play and injury-prevention goals. This role includes clinical caseload management, record-keeping and occasional community or event-based work. Location: [Location]. Hours: [Full/Part time]. Salary: [Competitive / £x - £y].
Key responsibilities
- Perform thorough subjective and objective assessments to establish diagnosis and impairment.
- Develop and deliver individualised treatment and rehabilitation plans, including manual therapy and exercise prescription.
- Apply a range of manual therapy techniques (soft tissue, joint mobilisation) and therapeutic modalities where appropriate.
- Progress rehabilitation with objective outcome measures and modify programmes based on recovery.
- Provide pitch-side or event cover when required and support return-to-play decisions in line with clinical governance.
- Communicate clearly with patients, coaches and other clinicians; make appropriate referrals to other healthcare professionals.
- Maintain accurate, contemporaneous patient records in line with data protection and clinic policies.
- Contribute to clinical audits, service evaluation and continuous professional development activities.
Essential skills and experience
- Recognised degree or diploma in Sports Therapy, Sports Rehabilitation or equivalent clinical qualification.
- Practical clinical experience assessing and treating musculoskeletal injuries (typically 1+ year).
- Current CPR and basic life support certification.
- Strong manual therapy and exercise prescription skills with evidence-based approach.
- Good written record-keeping and communication skills.
- Right to work in the UK and ability to travel to different sites/events as required.
Desirable
- Membership of a recognised professional body relevant to sports therapy or rehabilitation.
- Postgraduate training or short courses in manual therapy techniques, exercise therapy or sports-specific rehabilitation.
- Experience providing pitch-side cover, working with teams or managing a high-performance caseload.
- Familiarity with electronic patient record systems and outcome measurement tools.
- Full driving licence for travel between clinics, pitches or events.
- Enhanced DBS check if role includes regular work with children and young people.
What we offer
- Pension scheme (employer contribution — details to be confirmed)
- Annual CPD allowance or paid study days
- Paid professional subscription fees (subject to employer policy)
- Flexible working patterns or compressed hours where operationally possible
- Paid annual leave (details to be stipulated in contract)
- Employee discounts or clinic treatment discounts
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Sports Therapist role?
A Sports Therapist assesses, treats and rehabilitates musculoskeletal injuries in athletes and physically active people. The role combines hands-on manual therapy with exercise-based rehabilitation, injury prevention education and collaboration with other healthcare professionals and coaching staff. Sports Therapists work across clinics, community settings, sports teams and events to support recovery and safe return to activity.
Typical employers
Private clinics, sports clubs, leisure centres, university sport departments, community health services and event medical teams.
Working pattern
Clinic shifts with occasional evenings, weekends and event-based cover; some roles offer part-time or variable hours.
Core activities
Assessment, manual therapy, exercise prescription, progress monitoring, record-keeping and multidisciplinary communication.
Typical Sports Therapist responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Perform thorough subjective
Perform thorough subjective and objective assessments to establish diagnosis and impairment.
Develop
Develop and deliver individualised treatment and rehabilitation plans, including manual therapy and exercise prescription.
Apply a range of manual
Apply a range of manual therapy techniques (soft tissue, joint mobilisation) and therapeutic modalities where appropriate.
Progress rehabilitation with objective outcome
Progress rehabilitation with objective outcome measures and modify programmes based on recovery.
Provide pitch-side or event cover when required
Provide pitch-side or event cover when required and support return-to-play decisions in line with clinical governance.
Communicate clearly with patients
Communicate clearly with patients, coaches and other clinicians; make appropriate referrals to other healthcare professionals.
Maintain accurate
Maintain accurate, contemporaneous patient records in line with data protection and clinic policies.
Contribute
Contribute to clinical audits, service evaluation and continuous professional development activities.
Sports Therapist skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Recognised degree or diploma in Sports Therapy, Sports Rehabilitation or equivalent clinical qualification.
- Practical clinical experience assessing and treating musculoskeletal injuries (typically 1+ year).
- Current CPR and basic life support certification.
- Strong manual therapy and exercise prescription skills with evidence-based approach.
- Good written record-keeping and communication skills.
- Right to work in the UK and ability to travel to different sites/events as required.
Useful where relevant
- Membership of a recognised professional body relevant to sports therapy or rehabilitation.
- Postgraduate training or short courses in manual therapy techniques, exercise therapy or sports-specific rehabilitation.
- Experience providing pitch-side cover, working with teams or managing a high-performance caseload.
- Familiarity with electronic patient record systems and outcome measurement tools.
- Full driving licence for travel between clinics, pitches or events.
- Enhanced DBS check if role includes regular work with children and young people.
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Sports Therapist job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Specify caseload and patient types
State whether the role focuses on elite athletes, amateur sport, general active adults or paediatric populations so candidates can self-select.
Be clear about shift patterns and event cover
List expected hours, weekend or evening shifts and frequency of pitch-side or community work to set realistic expectations.
Highlight clinical autonomy and support
Note levels of supervision, access to multidisciplinary teams and clinical governance structures to attract clinicians at the right experience level.
Mention CPD and equipment
Tell candidates about CPD support, available treatment rooms and on-site equipment to demonstrate investment in clinical practice.
Sports Therapist salary considerations
Salary for Sports Therapists varies by region, employer and the level of clinical responsibility. Rather than a fixed market figure, consider the following factors when setting pay for this role.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Sports Therapist candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
What is a typical weekly schedule and how many patients would I see?
Candidates need to know clinic hours, average caseload size and typical appointment length to assess workload and travel implications.
What clinical governance, supervision and indemnity arrangements are in place?
Experienced clinicians will want clarity on clinical supervision, audit, indemnity insurance and access to second opinions.
What CPD and career development support do you provide?
Detailing paid study time, funding for courses and internal development paths helps attract motivated clinicians.
Will I be expected to travel between sites or provide event cover?
Travel and event commitments affect availability and should be transparent, including any mileage or travel allowances.
Who will I work with day-to-day?
Outline the multidisciplinary team, line manager, and whether the role involves close collaboration with coaches or medical staff.
Where to post a Sports Therapist job
Advertise this role on a mix of broad UK job boards and specialist healthcare or sport-focused sites to reach both clinically qualified applicants and those with sports-sector experience. Also promote via professional networks, sports clubs, university careers services and local community channels if the post requires evening or weekend cover or has a geographic focus.
Related healthcare / sports & leisure job descriptions
Recruiting for a slightly different role? These templates may be a closer fit.
Sports Therapist job description FAQs
Do Sports Therapists need a degree?
Most employers expect a recognised degree or diploma in Sports Therapy or an equivalent clinical qualification. Short courses alone are unlikely to meet the minimum requirement for autonomous clinical roles.
How does a Sports Therapist differ from a Physiotherapist?
Both professions treat musculoskeletal conditions, but physiotherapists are typically regulated and work across a wider range of clinical settings; role scope, training and titles differ, so check qualifications and regulatory status where relevant.
Is professional membership mandatory?
Membership of a relevant professional body is often desirable and may be mandatory for some employers; it is good practice to state whether membership or registration is required in your advert.
Do Sports Therapists need DBS checks?
A DBS check is only required when the role involves regular work with children or vulnerable adults. If this applies, advertise it as a requirement or state that the employer will request one.
What insurance is needed?
Clinical indemnity insurance is recommended or required for independent practice and some employer contracts. Confirm the employer’s policy and whether they provide cover.
Ready to hire a Sports Therapist?
Use the advert copy and job spec above to publish your vacancy, or contact us for help posting to multiple job boards and reaching clinically qualified candidates.
