sports massage regulation

[encynicks]

Hi. I was looking at professional body membership and noticed that the sports massage association more or less says that my level 3 sports massage course isn't up to much. I know someone who has done the level 4 qualification and she says there isn't much difference. Is this just a case of them getting people to go their courses and so putting down the other?

 

[Pompal 09.]

it does seem that they say that kingrollo, however if you look closely at their 'approved' courses, the only level 4 qualification they have is the BTEC. Raworth offer a level 3 qualification and SPS which offer the city & guilds, doesnt even have a level, so im not sure how they can state level 4 is the required level.

 

[fkehiubbiokizkerx]

I emailed the sma just out of curiosity and they just ignored me. Other therapists i have talked to have nothing but bad comments about them.

 

[bigrobdeezey]

Unfortunately the SMA’s secretary does have a very bad reputation for ignoring emails. However it is worth bearing in mind that the SMA was originally formed in response to the athletics governing bodies (BAF / UKA) pushing for a national register of sports massage practitioners who were sufficiently well qualified to work with elite athletes.

Also, as ‘sportstherapy’ pointed on the earlier thread SM Courses - who's the best?



Consequently, my impression is that most prospective employers will not be impressed by a level 3 qualification if there are level 4 candidates available. As another contributor pointed out in an earlier thread about the SMA,





Of course, if you are intending to be self-employed, then your clients will judge you by the quality of your treatment rather than by what is on your certificate. But if you are looking for employment, then I would recommend upgrading to a level 4 qualification; and I would also recommend looking for one which is externally validated (eg by BTEC) and which includes remedial techniques such as STR and MET. At present there seems to be a bit of a ‘power struggle’ between the GCMT and SMA, and there are certainly people in the GCMT who think that the SPS syllabus should be graded as level 3 rather than level 4.

It might also be worth reading the LSSM’s comparison of the BTEC and ITEC qualifications:





Alan