Becky's experience amongst the elite

3rd year BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy Student Becky Roberts recently worked as a Sports Massage Therapist at the 9th Fina World Swimming Championships in Manchester. Becky wanted to share her experiences at the event and has written the following account of her time there.

After providing sports massage at events such as the London Marathon, Great North Run and Jitsu Nationals, I believe working at the World Swimming Championships to be the most valuable experience in my sports therapy career so far.

Working with elite swimmers has increased my understanding of the sport in relation to their training methods and warm ups. This has allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of swimmers requirements in regards to their treatment. It was a joy to work on their athletic physiques, but surprising to find despite their muscularity, they were notably supple.

I was very fortunate to work with many elite swimmers, and it was also very advantageous to work alongside many top physiotherapists, sports and massage therapists and other healthcare professionals. By observing these professionals, I could see what approach they took to their treatments and to learn how they became successful in their jobs.

The experience gained from working with the elite swimmers, along with the positive feedback received from both the swimmers and fellow therapists, has given me the confidence to succeed in the sports therapy profession.