Annual Salary
£24,000 to £45,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Sports physiotherapists diagnose and treat sports injuries.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home
There will be
3.8% more Sports physiotherapist jobs in 2027.
As part of your day-to-day duties, you could:
You could work in a therapy clinic, in an NHS or private hospital, on a sports field or at a fitness centre.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time, you'll travel often and physically demanding.
You can get into this job through:
You can do a degree in physiotherapy approved by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
You may be able to do a fast-track postgraduate course if you've got a first or upper second class honours degree in a relevant subject like:
Once you have qualified and gained clinical experience you could specialise in sports injuries.
Competition for places on courses is strong. It will help if you have relevant healthcare experience before applying, for example as a physiotherapy assistant.
You'll usually need:
You may be able to get into this job through a physiotherapist degree apprenticeship.
This typically takes 4 years to complete as a mix of workplace learning and academic study at an approved university.
You'll usually need:
You could start as a physiotherapy assistant and do a part-time degree while you work, to qualify.
You'll find it useful to get some paid or voluntary experience in a healthcare setting or personal care role.
Private physiotherapy clinics, nursing homes and sports clinics may also offer work placements.
You could also look for relevant volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT.
You'll need to:
Experience of working with a local amateur sports team or club will help you gain skills. Getting experience with elite athletes can be competitive, so proving your commitment at a recreational sport level first can be useful.
You can join the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy for professional development and networking opportunities.
You can find out more about working in sports physiotherapy from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Physios in Sport.
With experience, you could move into management, teaching or research roles.
You could become self-employed or set up your own sports physiotherapy clinic.
Salaries in private practice and working with elite athletes may be much higher than average.
You can find out more about working in sports physiotherapy from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Physios in Sport.
You'll need: