Sport therapist
Also known as: health exercise specialist, sport & exercise therapist, exercise specialist, exercise therapist, sport and exercise therapist, exercise consultant
About this occupation
Sport therapists program and supervise rehabilitation exercises for individuals and groups. They work with individuals that have chronic health conditions or are at high risk of developing them. They communicate with medical and healthcare professionals about participants' conditions using correct medical terminology, and with an understanding of the standard treatment options for an individual’s condition. Sport therapists take a holistic approach to the wellness of their clients that includes advising on lifestyle, food or time management. They do not have a medical background and do not require medical qualifications.
A specialisation of fitness instructor.
Essential skills and knowledge
- show professional responsibility
- adapt fitness exercises
- ensure safety of exercise environment
- demonstrate professional attitude to clients
- collect client fitness information
- manage fitness communication
- prepare exercise session
- motivate fitness clients
- identify health objectives
- attend to fitness clients under controlled health conditions
- prescribe exercises
- inform clients of healthy lifestyle benefits
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Physical Therapists (O*NET 29-1123.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
- Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
- Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
- Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
- Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
- Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
- Typical education (US)
- Doctoral Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 5 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Investigative, Realistic
Top skills: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation
US median pay: US$102,760 a year (2025), 267,330 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyVery important (4.1)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.0)
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyVery important (3.7)
- PhysicsO*NET: PhysicsImportant (3.2)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.2)
- SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Doctoral Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Physical Therapist Assistants
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians
- Occupational Therapists
- Physical Therapist Aides
- Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Occupational Therapy Aides
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Pediatric Surgeons
- Recreational Therapists
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.