Physiotherapist - Elite Sports

About The Role

The Medical Department at Forest Green Rovers is a collaborative operation between the First Team and academy squads, working closely together to achieve success. As a Physiotherapist, you will be an integral part of this team, contributing to the prevention and management of injuries.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the success and achievement of the football club.
• Aim for excellence within the medical department, providing optimal service to first-team players.
• Provide first-class manual and exercise therapy-based treatments to first-team players.
• Assist in the delivery of departmental aims and objectives, creating a department that is viewed as the best in the division in terms of prevention and management of injury.
• Attend all first-team games and tours as required.

Working Hours

• A minimum of 40 hours per week.
• Flexibility is essential, with the ability to work irregular and unsocial hours as required.
• Work may be subject to change with less than 24 hours' notice on occasions.
• Work will regularly be outside 'normal' working hours, in evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Attendance may be required at consultant appointments, special events, dinners, and tournaments.
• All holiday is to be taken during breaks in the footballing season.

Management of Other Staff

• Support the work of the first-team interns and assist the Head Academy Physiotherapist.
• Assist the first-team physiotherapist in the professional development of all Academy medical staff.
• Contribute to mid-season and end of season review meetings to review progression and provide formal feedback.

Management of Injuries

• Deliver first-class treatment to all players in the first team, striving to return players from injury in the most efficient timeframe possible.
• Provide relevant input into the treatment and management plans of all injured players and work to deliver these players in a professional manner.
• Work alongside the rest of the medical team to strive for best practice in all aspects of our provision.
• Implement evidence-based practice and utilize clinical reasoning skills to support the first-team physiotherapist/Lead physiotherapist during the rehabilitation process.
• Contribute to an injury management plan for injured players under your care, demonstrating the likely evolution of the injury and taking account of realistic milestones in the recovery pathway.
• Provide input on a daily treatment plan for players under your care, aligned with the injury management plan and taking account of appropriate functional markers to demonstrate progress.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of any in-service training program.
• Demonstrate effective communication with all multi-disciplinary team members to ensure clarity surrounding the management of all injured players.
• Communicate clearly and effectively with the rest of the MDT regarding the diagnosis, management plan, and anticipated timeframes for all injured players.
• Accurately and comprehensively complete medical notes within 24 hours of any treatment on the injury database.

Injury Prevention

• Liaise with the strength and conditioning team on a daily basis to have input into decisions relating to individual player availability and readiness to train.
• Work alongside the conditioning team to influence the players' pre-activation and injury prevention routines.
• Alongside the conditioning team, contribute to individualized injury prevention programs focused on addressing relevant injury risk factors as identified following both screening and analysis of previous injury history.

Medical Provision at Matches/Tours

• Travel with the team and be available to provide therapy treatments to players both on the evening before and the day of the match as required.
• Attend all matches and be present as required in the pre-match build-up to a game.
• Rehabilitate/treat players at the stadium on the morning of first-team home matches as required.
• Work in tandem with the rest of the medical department to be available at short notice on the day following matches to assess and treat players as required.

Medical Consultations

• Accompany players to medical consultations at short notice as required, ensuring the player receives optimal care and advice at all times.

Continual Professional Development

• Work towards designated SMART targets for personal development and departmental progression.
• Keep a Personal Development Plan (PDP) which highlights areas for development and allows us to afford you the time and resources to work towards these objectives wherever possible.
• Meet with the first-team physiotherapist on a 6-weekly basis to discuss and review SMART targets.
• Undertake the required training in line with league rules (ATMMiF) (this will be funded by the club).
• Take responsibility for your own continued professional development, ensuring that you attend regular courses/conferences and keep an up-to-date portfolio of achievements. Appropriate funding will be available for courses/conferences – this is to be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be linked to your Personal Development Plan/SMART Targets.

About You

Personal Specification

• Relevant degree in Physiotherapy, or sports rehabilitation, or sports therapy.
• Fully registered member of the CSP/Society of Sports Therapy/BASRAT or equivalent.
• Full driving license and access to a car.
• Desirable to have advanced pitch-side first aid qualification (ATMMiF equivalent).

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years' experience working in an elite sporting environment.
• Evidence of developing, implementing, and evaluating rehabilitation programs for elite football players.
• Experience of delivery of soft tissue/manual therapy treatments in an elite sporting environment.
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team in a professional sporting environment.
• Experience of developing and implementing innovative ideas and putting them into practice.
• Experience of clinically assessing, diagnosing, and rehabilitating a wide range of MSK conditions in elite athletes.
• Experience of modifying rehabilitation programs in order to address an individual's needs, demonstrating advanced clinical reasoning skills.
• Experience of utilizing injury prevention strategies in a professional sporting environment.

Personal Qualities

• Ability to communicate fluently (in English), demonstrating advanced communication skills.
• Highly motivated individual that demonstrates a proactive attitude towards service development and demonstrates a passion for working as part of an MDT in professional sport.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills while working in pressurized situations.
• Personal integrity and the ability to invoke trust and respect from others.
• Ability to prioritize own workload and that of colleagues.
• Open-minded individual with a view of adopting new practices.
• Excellent time-keeping and organizational skills.

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