La kinésithérapie du sport
Sports physiotherapy
Sports physiotherapy is a specialized field of physiotherapy/physical therapy based on injury prevention, acute intervention, rehabilitation of sports pathologies, sports performance enhancement, cultural competence and adaptability, as well as soft skills and professionalism to improve the quality of care provided to athletes.
Belgian Federation of Sports Physiotherapy is the only Belgian representative association for sports physiotherapists, recognized by and in collaboration with AXXON PTiB, physical therapy in Belgium.
Among the more than 25,000 physiotherapists working in Belgium, I am one of the 30 therapists with BFSP GOLD STATUS recognition. I’m also a member of the Société Française des Masseurs Kinésithérapeutes du Sport.

Kristian THORBORG, Past President of the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapists (IFSPT, 2000)
General
Practising a sport can lead you to consult a physiotherapist for many reasons. Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, a physiotherapist will be able to help you with aches and pains or injuries, assist you in your physical preparation and give you advice on how to improve your performance.
So what are the benefits of sports physiotherapy? What does it involve? When should you use it? We explain everything.
What is sports physiotherapy ?
An IFSPT-accredited sports physiotherapist combines eleven major skills:
Prevention of sports injuries
Intervention in the acute phase (during a competition, for example)
Specific rehabilitation for athletes
Performance enhancement
Promoting a healthy, active lifestyle
Continuing education in the field of sports physiotherapy
Ensuring effective professional conduct
Active participation in scientific research in sports physiotherapy
Dissemination of best practices recommended by health authorities
Dissemination of best practices recommended by health authorities
Promoting fair play and anti-doping practices

What are the main reasons for consulting a sports physiotherapist?
The sports physiotherapist is, of course, a physiotherapist like any other, but his or her specific training gives him or her “something extra”: he or she is an expert in injury prevention and in quantifying mechanical stress. His role is to prepare the return to sport.
« The body adapts as long as the applied stress is not greater than its ability to adapt »
The most common causes of sports-related pathology are :
Too rapid an increase in the frequency, intensity and/or duration of exertion
Returning to sport too quickly after a prolonged break
Lack of warm-up
Failure to comply with standardized criteria to validate return to sport

What are the advantages of sports physiotherapy?
There are many advantages to consulting a physiotherapist specialized in sports pathologies management.
First and foremost, you’ll benefit from expert, professional advice when it comes to taking up a sport. In this way, the physiotherapist will be able to guide you so that your training sessions are both enjoyable and effective. That way, you can leave behind any hazardous practices that could harm your body.
What’s more, a sports physiotherapist knows the human body inside out: he or she will be able to tell you your own limits and the different movements to make (and not to make) to avoid trauma or injury.
The advice of a sports physiotherapist can provide psychological support and improve performance for athletes of all levels.
Finally, a sports physiotherapist can be of great help in the event of injury or trauma, and will be able to adjust your training to treat the pathology without having to stop all your physical and sporting activities.

Frequently asked questions
Is sports physiotherapy painful?
Sports physiotherapy can be a demanding activity in itself. The body’s tissues can be put under strain, with all the sensations that this implies. As a result, some sessions can cause slight to moderate pain.
On the other hand, in the event of a consultation following a very recent injury, sports physiotherapy will focus on relieving pain while treating the affected limb or joint. In the case of reactive tendinopathy, for example, the patient should feel little or no pain during the session.
What are the results of a sports physiotherapy session?
The effects of sports physiotherapy can be observed over the short, medium or long term, depending on the objective and the treatment plan set up in collaboration with the patient. Both physical preparation and the treatment of pain or injury can take time, so it’s important to be rigorous about the exercises prescribed by the sports physiotherapist.
The main injuries treated by a sports physiotherapist
As experts in sports traumatology, physiotherapists are able to treat, relieve and treat a wide range of sports-related injuries.
Generally speaking, each discipline has its own specialist physiotherapist. Indeed, the muscular disorders affecting a tennis player are not the same as those affecting a footballer.
Generally speaking, injuries treated by a sports physiotherapist include muscle injuries, tendinopathy, sprains, stress fractures, meniscus injuries and spinal pathologies.