What’s the Difference Between Sports Therapy and Physiotherapy?

If you’re an athlete, gym enthusiast, runner, or simply someone who enjoys staying active, you’ve likely heard the terms sports therapy and physiotherapy. Many people assume they are the same, but there are important differences that can influence your recovery results.

Understanding these differences helps you choose the right treatment for your injury, pain, or performance goals. At SM Marques Therapy in London, we specialise in sports therapy, focusing on helping active people heal faster, move better, and prevent injuries before they happen.

What Is Sports Therapy?

Sports therapy is a specialised field focused on injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for people who are physically active. You don’t have to be a professional athlete to benefit anyone who trains regularly or lives an active lifestyle can benefit from sports therapy.

Sports therapy aims to:

• Reduce pain

• Improve mobility

• Restore function

• Strengthen weak areas

• Prevent future injuries

• Help athletes return to sport safely

• Improve performance

A sports therapist uses a combination of hands-on treatment and exercise-based rehabilitation to help your body recover faster and stronger.

What a Sports Therapist Does

A sports therapist focuses specifically on the needs of active individuals. Their treatments typically include:

✔ Injury Assessment

The therapist identifies:

• What movement is restricted

• Which tissues are irritated

• Whether the problem is muscular, joint-related, or functional

• How your biomechanics influence the injury

✔ Sports Massage / Deep Tissue Treatment

Helps release:

• Tight muscles

• Trigger points

• Compensations

• Poor movement patterns

✔ Strength & Conditioning Rehab

Personalised exercises help rebuild:

• Muscle strength

• Tendon resilience

• Joint stability

• Mobility

✔ Injury Prevention Strategies

The therapist teaches how to avoid recurring injuries—something athletes value significantly.

✔ Performance Enhancement

Sports therapy doesn’t just fix injuries. It also improves:

• Flexibility

• Power

• Coordination

• Athletic performance

This makes it highly effective for gym-goers, runners, footballers, weightlifters, dancers, and CrossFit athletes.

What Is Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is a broad medical field that supports people with general injuries, chronic conditions, mobility issues, and post-surgery recovery.

Physiotherapists often help:

• People with arthritis

• Older adults with mobility challenges

• Patients recovering from surgery

• Individuals with neurological conditions

• People with chronic pain

Physiotherapy is not always focused on sports or performance. It is more general and medically oriented.

Sports Therapy vs Physiotherapy: Key Differences

1. Target Audience

Sports Therapy	Physiotherapy
Athletes, gym-goers, active individuals	General population
Focus on performance + sports injuries	Focus on medical rehabilitation
Goal: return to sport stronger	Goal: restore safe movement

If you're active or train regularly, sports therapy is usually the better fit.

2. Treatment Approach

Sports therapy uses a hands-on and movement-based approach.

• Manual therapy

• Deep tissue release

• Joint mobilisation

• Strength and conditioning

• Sports-specific rehab

• Injury prevention

• Electrotherapy

• Ultrasound

• Stretching

• Medical-led rehab

3. Focus of Each Treatment

Sports Therapy Focuses On:

• Fast recovery

• Performance improvement

• Functional movement

• Strength and mobility

• Biomechanics

• Injury prevention

• Pain reduction

• Basic mobility

• Medical management

• Neurological & long-term conditions

4. Session Structure

A sports therapy session at Marques Therapy usually includes:

1. Full functional assessment

2. Hands-on manual treatment

3. Corrective exercises

4. Strength and mobility work

5. A personalised rehab plan

Which Should Athletes Choose?

If you are:

• Lifting weights

• Running frequently

• Playing sports

• Training at the gym

• Doing HIIT, CrossFit, or Pilates

• Cycling regularly

Sports therapy is typically the most effective treatment for:

• Muscle strains

• Tendon issues

• Ligament sprains

• Back pain

• Shoulder pain

• Knee pain

• Overuse injuries

• Sports-related injuries

Physiotherapy is still valuable, but sports therapy is more specialised for active bodies.

Why Choose Sports Therapy in London at Marques Therapy?

London is full of active professionals, gym members, and athletes. At Marques Therapy, we offer customised treatment plans that help you:

⭐ Recover faster

⭐ Reduce pain long-term

⭐ Improve mobility

⭐ Build strength safely

⭐ Prevent repeating injuries

⭐ Enhance athletic performance

Our approach blends the best of:

• Sports therapy

• Deep tissue techniques

• Functional mobility

• Performance rehab

We focus on results, not temporary relief.

Common Injuries We Treat

At Marques Therapy, we regularly work with:

• Lower back pain

• Runners’ knee

• Hamstring strains

• Calf tightness

• Shoulder impingement

• Tennis/golf elbow

• Sciatica symptoms

• Hip mobility issues

• Ankle sprains

• Weightlifting injuries

• Chronic pain

• Pathologies

• Fascia issues

We help athletes and active clients return to sport stronger than before.

What to Expect During Your First Session

1. Movement Assessment

We analyse posture, strength, and mobility to find the root cause.

2. Hands-On Treatment

Your therapist may use:

• Sports massage

• Cupping therapy

• Trigger point release

• Joint mobilisations

3. Personalised Exercise Plan

You’ll receive a tailored programme focusing on:

• Strength

• Mobility

• Stability

• Functional movement

4. Recovery Roadmap

A clear timeline showing how long recovery should take and how you can progress.

Conclusion

Sports therapy and physiotherapy both play important roles in rehabilitation but they are not the same. If you are an athlete or someone who trains regularly, sports therapy is often the most effective option for recovery, injury prevention, and performance.

At Marques Therapy London, our goal is to help you move better, recover faster, and stay injury-free.