Working in sports and athletic performance

A career in sports and athletic performance

Overview

Embarking on a career as an osteopath within the realm of sports and athletics presents a unique blend of challenges and rewards, aligning one's passion for health and physical well-being with the dynamic world of elite sports. It's a career path that not only demands a deep understanding of the human body but also requires a commitment to enhancing the performance and recovery of athletes.

What it's like to be an osteopath working in sports and athletics

Osteopaths can hold a wide range of roles within the sports and athletics sector. You could focus your private practice on seeing patients with sports injuries or those who wish to increase their athletic performance. Or you could choose to become a sports trainer or team clinician, whose role is to make sports safer for its athletes to increase their performance and capacity and improve recovery.

Pros and cons

Pros:

Passion: you will work in a community of like-minded people passionate about sport and human performance
Skills: you will develop a range of skills specific to sport and human performance
Satisfaction: you will help athletes at all levels achieve their goals
Teamwork: working in a sports environment nearly always means you are a valuable part of a collaborative and cohesive team.
Growth area: participation in amateur and professional sports is growing each year, presenting more opportunities
Travel: some roles may require travelling to different locations and/or clients. There are local and national development opportunities, including interstate relocation options.

Cons:

Competitive: this is a popular field to work in, particularly if you want to work with professional teams.
Workload and consistency: these roles often depend on the sports season, so you frequently encounter busy periods followed by quiet periods.
Hours: these roles will require you to work late hours and/or on the weekend.
Income: amateur roles are often not remunerated well, or the expectation is to volunteer your time.

Typical tasks and duties

Training players in musculoskeletal anatomy and body movement
Providing guidance on warm-ups and recovery
Providing programs for athlete-specific warm-ups and recovery
Provide injury prevention information and strategies
Managing injured players and their injury-specific exercise rehabilitation
Collaborating with other professionals for further care and services
Injury record keeping
Taping and strapping injuries
Developing and implementing athlete performance programs
Providing assistance and care during games and performance
Liaison and communication with key stakeholders

Skills and experience needed

Rehabilitation techniques
Injury prevention strategies
Taping and strapping techniques
Sports injury management
Concussion recognition and management
Nutrition and hydration knowledge
Sporting codes and conduct knowledge
Strong communication skills
Ability to work as a part of a collaborative team
Positive and client-centred professional

How to become an osteopath in sports and athletics

Working in sports and athletics can take many paths but will require you to have advanced knowledge and skills in this area. To achieve this, you can choose to undertake additional tertiary qualifications and/or through a combination of professional development and experience working in sports management. Working and receiving mentoring from other osteopaths and health care professionals who are leaders in this field is a great way to do this. Qualifications and experience will allow you to market yourself to patients if you wish to stay in private practice with a focus on sports and athlete performance. Alternatively, to work in sports teams as a sports trainer, you can apply to job opportunities often starting with smaller teams and codes to gain experience before progressing to larger or increasingly professional teams.

How to become an osteopath in sports and athletics

Build advanced knowledge and skills: undertake additional tertiary qualifications in sports management, exercise science or similar fields and engage in professional development opportunities for sports and athletics.
Gain practical experience: work and seek mentorship from osteopaths and healthcare professionals with sports and athletic performance expertise. Volunteer or work with sports teams, starting with smaller teams or local clubs, to gain experience.
Market yourself: focus on building a patient base that includes athletes and active individuals.
Pursue opportunities in sports teams: apply for roles as a sports trainer or osteopath within sports teams. Begin with smaller teams or codes to gain experience and gradually transition to larger or professional teams.
Network in the sports industry: attend sports-focused conferences, seminars, and network at events. Remember to collaborate with other health professionals and organisations in sports and athletics.
Stay updated: keep up with the latest research and developments in sports osteopathy by continuously enhancing your skills through workshops and courses.

Further qualifications, training or requirements

Your osteopathic qualifications provide a solid foundation for a career as a sports and athletic performance osteopathic practitioner. However, additional training will be essential for working in these roles, as the industry can be competitive. By undertaking further qualifications, you'll open up more opportunities.

Victoria University’s Graduate Certificate in Strength and Conditioning is an excellent option, designed to expand your skills in sports science and conditioning principles. It includes practical experiences, exposure to elite sports environments, and masterclasses with industry experts, preparing you well for sports osteopathy. Additionally, we offer excellent webinars that can further enhance your skills and knowledge in sports practice.

With these targeted qualifications and resources, you’ll be well-equipped to excel in this rewarding field. Often, the qualifications or requirements employers are looking for may include the following:

Tertiary qualifications in osteopathy
Full Ahpra registration
Generally unrestricted Australian working rights
A current driver's license is frequently needed.
Professional Indemnity insurance (some employers provide)

Salary ranges

Work opportunities are variable and often involve much voluntary work until you can progress to higher levels of professional sports.

But generally, osteopaths specialising in sports and athletic performance can expect salaries ranging from approximately $70,000 to $90,000 per year. This range is influenced by experience, location and the specific nature of their practice. For instance, osteopaths in Victoria typically earn between $80,000 and $90,000 annually, while those in New South Wales and Queensland may earn between $70,000 and $80,000 per year.

It's important to note that these figures are general estimates. Focussing on sports and athletic performance may offer opportunities for higher earnings, especially when working with elite athletes or in private practice settings. Factors such as advanced certifications, years of experience and the ability to attract a steady client base can significantly impact an osteopath's income in this field.

Who employs an osteopath in sports and athletics

Sporting codes and teams, as well as schools, can employ or contract allied health professionals to work as in-house sports trainers or may potentially consult with private practice practitioners.

Usual career trajectories or pathways

Due to the competitive nature of this area, experience and additional qualifications are key to career progression in sports and athletics. As with many roles, you must work with smaller teams/codes or in junior positions to build experience and knowledge in the sector. This experience will lay the foundations for progression to more professional athletes and teams.

Osteopathy Australia offers an Advanced Practitioner recognition pathway in Sports Management. The Advanced Practice Recognition program exists to recognise osteopaths who have gained a high level of clinical skill and experience within a specific focus area and who have met the professional standards required to make an enhanced contribution to managing patient groups or clinical issues related to their advanced scope of practice. You can find out more about the Advanced Sports Osteopath pathway here.