BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Bachelor's degree at the University of Kent

Using examples of contemporary scientific research across the fields of sports performance, therapy and rehabilitation, and health, you'll compare different methods of scientific testing. You'll also determine what we consider 'best practice' and examine the challenges and limitations associated with conducting research with human participants. You'll get to grips with research terminology, start to understand how research studies are designed, and discover how data can be analysed.

Understanding human anatomy and movement is key to injury rehabilitation. Your study of anatomy will focus on the key regions of the lower limbs, upper limbs, spine and thorax, and you'll learn to identify the associated bones, joints, soft tissue structures, muscles and nerves of each of these regions. Through the practice of palpation, you'll also be able to identify key anatomical landmarks in the body.

In this module, you'll learn about what goes on beneath the skin, the physiology of the human healing process, and the body's response to musculoskeletal injury. You'll look at ways we can enhance healing using evidence-based therapeutic interventions such as electrotherapy, ice or heat, and you will learn to treat and manage different injuries based on their location and tissue type.

You will learn about the dos and don'ts of setting up a sports massage practice, how to communicate with your client, how to ask the right questions and plan and carry out a full-body sports massage. Additionally, you will explore how to adapt massage techniques for various needs and health conditions. You'll get plenty of practical, hands-on experience and learn how to combine several different massage and stretching techniques.

As part of this module, one of your first tasks will be to perform a clinical assessment, which is a carefully structured examination of the body to gain information about what could potentially be wrong. You'll learn how to conduct this logically and methodically, concentrating on the main joints of the upper and lower limbs as well as the spine.

You'll learn and discuss exercise physiology, human movement and training principles. The teaching is based on a practical approach to movement analysis, common exercises and movement patterns. You'll develop your practical skills and build confidence in delivering, designing and planning effective exercise sessions.

You'll gain an understanding of research methods typically used in a sport and exercise and/or a therapy and rehabilitation setting. You'll develop the ability to select, employ and interpret statistics in your research. By the end of this module, you'll understand the fundamentals of forming a feasible and appropriate study.

Once you have identified an injury and the bodily structure(s) involved, a sports therapy and rehabilitation practitioner needs to deliver appropriate treatment to restore normal movement and function. Manual therapy is the art and science of skilled hand movements and mobilisations for therapeutic effect. You'll learn the key concepts and theories that underpin manual therapy techniques and focus on the spine and associated spinal pathology.

You'll attempt to answer this question and provide solutions, deepening your understanding of the role physical activity and other lifestyle factors play in the prevention of a range of chronic cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic and mental health conditions. You will be able to identify key risk factors, explain the physiological underpinning for how conditions develop, and explore how physical activity can be employed in the prevention and pre-clinical management of these conditions.

You will learn the core principles of rehabilitation such as how to improve strength, range of motion, flexibility, power, speed and agility. You'll implement the principles of rehabilitation in each stage of injury and discover how you can adapt exercises according to the specific injury, its stage in the healing process, and the nature of the sport involved.

This module will show you how to apply your knowledge of anatomy, physiology, clinical evaluation and rehabilitation to specific injuries. You'll consider the structures of injuries you're likely to frequently encounter, assess and manage in rehabilitation when working with injured individuals. You'll formulate sport-specific rehabilitation programmes for athletes and individuals.

Sport and physical activity is for everyone, and the way we choose to participate and perform changes through our life course. When it comes to physical activity and sport, there is no 'one size fits all', and diverse guidelines exist to meet the specific needs of children, youth, females, pregnancy, disability, adults and older adults. Each week you will examine a different life course stage.