PRESENT - FUTURE: SPORTFISIO AND THE ACCREDITATION SYSTEM A, B, C

56 SPORTFISI@ 2022

Author: Suzanne Gard

The problem: Anybody can call themselves a Sports Physiotherapist, it is not a title that is protected. It is a problem for the quality of the care of athletes and for the selection of trained physios to cover events and care for athletes. This is also an issue as trained sports physiotherapists cannot stand out from other physiotherapists.

At the Isokinetic2022 Congress, famous football player Rebecca “Bex” Smith (former captain of the New Zealand national team) said that she could not tell easily if the sports physios that took care of her were experienced and trained or not. She had to trust the system. There is clearly a lack of transparency towards the patients.

The solution: Becoming a Sportfisio member requires a minimum of 2 years working with an athlete or team or to have followed a recognised course in Sports physiotherapy. This is of course a minimum requirement.

However this is not enough, which is why, together with Swiss Olympic, Sportfisio worked on accreditation levels that meet the standards and competencies of International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT) and built a pathway of recognition. The pathway was approved by IFSPT in 2020.

How was this pathway developed? Numerous consultations between the Swiss Sports Physiotherapy Association

(SSPA) Committee, Swiss Olympic and IFSPT resulted in the definition of a continuing education path for Sportfisio members. All members who fulfil the minimum requirements of SSPA may remain members, but they

cannot claim an accreditation level unless they go through the pathway.

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What does it mean? It means that if you go through this pathway, you can be accredited level C, B or A and the level is linked to your experience, the competencies you have developed and to your level of education in the field of Sports physiotherapy. It allows federations, clubs and athletes to select the physiotherapists they need according to their level of competencies. This is the present and the future of sports physiotherapy.

How does it work? Accreditation level C is required to work as a sports physiotherapist in national and international competitions and for any selection for major sporting events.

Accreditation levels B and A are required, among other things, to be able to apply eventually

as a chief physiotherapist officer of sport for major sporting events.

SSPA members who have achieved Accreditation Level A can apply to the

International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT) for the title of “Registered International Sports Physical Therapist” (RISPT).

What is RISPT? To be registered as an International Sports Physiotherapist is a way to have your specialisation as a Sports physiotherapist internationally recognised. The pathway demands a MSc level of expertise to be on the register. It is only possible if your country’s pathway has been recognised by IFSPT. The countries currently approved are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Get on board! As a member of the Executive Board of IFSPT and as a RISPT, I can only highly recommend to all Sportfisio member to go through the process of accreditation*. This will help raise the Sports physios profile in our country, help the clubs and federation to select appropriately qualified sports physios for their athletes, and it will also help us negotiate our fees and bring transparency for the athletes we work with.

(* SSPA members can find all the related documents on: https://sportfisio.ch/accreditation/)

Suzanne Gard PT, MSC, RISPT Chair of Education IFSPT Treasurer IFSPT Board Member Sportfisio