Building a career as a sports chiropractor
By BCA Board Member, Juliet Lock
Based at her multidisciplinary clinic in Oxfordshire, Juliet Lock is a Chiropractor with over twenty years’ experience in practice and elite sport, including the Olympics, Paralympics, IAAF World Championships and the Commonwealth Games. She has worked in rugby for the last eight years, most recently as Head of Medical for the Championship Club London Scottish. Juliet is a Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors Sports Faculty, was previously Director of Academic Affairs and currently sits on the Board of the British Chiropractic Association.
There will always be someone you know that seemed to have fallen into their dream job in sport. But for the vast majority of chiropractors that have built a career in sports medicine, there is a shared origin story – an interest in some aspect of sport, a willingness to start at the bottom and an acknowledgement that pitch side can be a dark, cold and lonely place. If you are looking to expand your horizons and work in sport, keep reading this article, where I explain what you can expect and how you can join the club.
Working in sport – the bad and the good
Why work in sport? The hours can be long and irregular, often on evenings and weekends, and it can be highly unpredictable when the sport is in season. It is a dynamic and fast-paced environment, which can be exhilarating but also the pressure to return athletes to fitness can be very stressful, especially when coupled with managing the expectations of athletes, coaches and management. Unsurprisingly, the world of sport is very competitive and there is little job security.
However, for those who still aspire to work in sport, there are some obvious benefits. From a practitioner’s perspective, if you wish to develop an understanding of sports-related injuries, how best to treat them and rehabilitate players, then working in sport will turbocharge your learning. The team environment, whether at a Club with other medical professionals or at an event’s polyclinic, promotes shared knowledge and concurrency with the latest developments. Then there are the networking opportunities that come with working with athletes, coaches and other healthcare professionals, expanding your professional circle and potentially providing further career opportunities. There is also the satisfaction in helping athletes achieve their potential, especially when you can see the whole process from injury to return to sport.
Getting involved
Some may be fortunate to walk straight into a premiership medical team but most start at the bottom and work their way up. Whether it’s joining a professional network, writing a letter with a CV or leveraging a personal contact at a Club, the key is to keep knocking on doors and eventually you will get a breakthrough. This doesn’t mean taking a shotgun approach, choose an area that has some appeal, whether it’s a personal connection to the sport, something you’ve played or a professional interest in sports performance. Volunteering will be involved, but there comes a point where it can be counter-productive to always be a volunteer; if you are adding value to a team, it is important your worth is recognised, whether it is your own team kit, tickets to the game or payment for services. Be aware the salary from private practice will rarely be matched in the sports environment but the other benefits enhance the job.
Bring some skills
The chiropractic profession is changing and there is now a recognised pathway for sports-specific education. After graduating, a chiropractor can join the Royal College of Chiropractors’ Sports Faculty [1] and progress through the various levels of education, from licentiate to Fellow. Membership also provides access to the International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS) [2], a professional body that exists to develop sports chiropractic and place chiropractors at sporting events. Professional qualifications will help equip you for working in sport, but there is also the requirement to stay informed about changes to concussion protocols, as well as keeping up to date with medical advances and rules of the game. It is also very important to have sports-specific professional indemnity insurance that covers you to work in sport. If you are a BCA Member, covered by BCA Insurance Services, you can contact them directly if you have any questions or to inform them before working at a sports event.
Aside from chiropractic education, there are skills that make for a better sports practitioner. Yes you are there for your chiropractic expertise but good taping and strapping skills are always useful as are trauma management qualifications. How much you need to upskill can depend on the sport, the level and your role. All sports have their requirements but as an example if you wish to work pitchside in professional rugby it is mandatory to complete RFU’s Pre-Hospital Immediate Care in Sport (PHICIS) Level 3 [3].
Teamwork
The ability to play nicely with others is essential as working in a professional silo rarely makes for a successful sports chiropractor. This is particularly true for major sporting events, such as the Olympics or Commonwealth Games, where the COPS (Chiropractor, Osteopath, Physiotherapist and Sports Therapist) is the preferred model and one that has repeatedly proven to be successful. Chiropractic is a relatively small profession and as a result a sports chiropractor will always be working with medical professionals from other disciplines; being aware of the various personalities and understanding the team dynamic and your role within that environment are as important as your chiropractic skills. Don’t be above making the occasional round of teas.
Professional or amateur sport
Working in amateur sport is often the route to gaining experience and a number of chiropractors work in private practice and spend weekends with amateur sports teams. However, working in grassroots sport isn’t ‘easier’ than professional sport; at times it is more challenging as the support set up is usually leaner, more informal and with fewer resources. The grassroots sports clinician will often be required to make difficult decisions unilaterally, in contrast to the collective approach in a professional sports environment.
In contrast, working in professional sport may mean access to better resources and more support but the stakes are higher and the demands are greater. A team chiropractor will be working in a team to manage the injury list, assessing players and providing input into player management and selection for the upcoming game. As a Head of Medical, a chiropractor will still be working with players but also management of a large, ever-changing squad, implementing new protocols, trauma management, infection control, managing the personnel on a medical team and communicating with all the stakeholders – players, coaches, directors and staff, plus the responsibility that comes with the position.
In conclusion
A career in sports chiropractic offers a unique blend of challenges and rewards. While it demands a significant commitment to developing specialised skills and investing time and resources, the experience gained is invaluable. Working in sports not only provides a focused approach to diagnosing, managing, and treating injuries, but also emphasises rehabilitation and the swift return of athletes to their peak performance – skills that can be transferred to general practice for the benefit of all patients, regardless of their background.
The high-pressure environment and the involvement of multiple stakeholders enhance clinical reasoning and keep practitioners current with the latest medical advancements. Additionally, the collaborative nature of sports medicine fosters teamwork and knowledge sharing, providing an excellent opportunity for chiropractors, who often work in professional silos, to break out and engage in a multidisciplinary approach. This shift from working in isolation to a more integrated model can greatly enrich a chiropractor’s practice. For those passionate about sports and patient care, the journey into sports chiropractic can be immensely fulfilling and professionally rewarding.
This does not come without a cost. The hours and conditions are unlikely to match those in a clinic; the environment is highly competitive and comes with great deal of scrutiny. But the term “sport chiropractic” covers a broad range of options, from working at a sports events, a local club, youth team to a professional outfit – you can choose the best match for you.
References:
[3] https://keepyourbootson.co.uk/rugbysafe-toolkit/immediate-care-practitioner-information-training/
