Ever wondered what it’s like to work with top athletes and sports clubs, helping to rehabilitate sports men and women after injury? Final year Sports Rehabilitation student Kila O’Boyle talks about her time at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham and what it’s like to work with some of the most famous sports teams in the world.
Kila, who is originally from Cornwall, is in the final year of her undergraduate Sports Rehabilitation degree at St Mary’s, a subject she wanted to study after helping her mum, who is a physiotherapist, work with sports teams back home. She said, “My mum is a physiotherapist, so that’s how I first became interested in the discipline, the rehabilitation side of sport is so interesting because it enables athletes to return to sport quickly and often stronger than they were before.”
“Understandably in the first year of the degree there is a lot of theory work, because you have to learn all about the body and how it works before you can actually work with patients so there is a lot of anatomy, physiology and pathology involved. Once you’ve learnt the theory you progress to the rehabilitation side of the course such as injury and biomechanics, which I really enjoy.”
As the home for the Sports Rehabilitation degree in the UK, St Mary’s offers plenty of hands-on, practical experience for students in their second and third year, including with top sports teams such as the London Irish Academy, the London Marathon and the London Moonwalk. Kila continued, “There are so many opportunities for work experience throughout the course, most of which is organised by the lecturers, they have so many connections and it means that you get to work on some fantastic events throughout the year.
“Practical experience is crucial so it is fantastic that there is so much volunteer work available. Personally, I’ve worked with several international rugby teams including the New Zealand Rugby Union team, the Fiji Rugby League team and the England Rugby Seven’s team, all of which have been amazing experiences.”
As part of the course, students have to undertake three mandatory blocks of work placements either at independent rehabilitation clinics, or with sports teams. Kila said, “I absolutely love the work placements. A lot of the classroom work involves practicing on fellow students, who usually don’t have an injury, so it’s great to be able to work with athletes who actually have a problem with their muscles and joints. It’s also reassuring because you can really see your progression throughout the course of the year and make sure you are on the right track with everything you've learnt in the classroom.”
As well as offering practical experience, placements also allow students to develop networks and contacts, which often result in job opportunities after graduation. Kila added, “During my first placement I was able to secure a job in Cornwall as a physiotherapist, which I will continue after graduation.” Although, as a London Irish Rugby fan, she would love to work with the team on a permanent basis.
When asked if she would recommend the course, Kila said, “I would definitely recommend the Sports Rehabilitation course at St Mary’s, it offers top-notch academic theory, backed up by practical work with some of the best teams in the world, you couldn’t ask for any more.”
Kila, who is originally from Cornwall, is in the final year of her undergraduate Sports Rehabilitation degree at St Mary’s, a subject she wanted to study after helping her mum, who is a physiotherapist, work with sports teams back home. She said, “My mum is a physiotherapist, so that’s how I first became interested in the discipline, the rehabilitation side of sport is so interesting because it enables athletes to return to sport quickly and often stronger than they were before.”
“Understandably in the first year of the degree there is a lot of theory work, because you have to learn all about the body and how it works before you can actually work with patients so there is a lot of anatomy, physiology and pathology involved. Once you’ve learnt the theory you progress to the rehabilitation side of the course such as injury and biomechanics, which I really enjoy.”
As the home for the Sports Rehabilitation degree in the UK, St Mary’s offers plenty of hands-on, practical experience for students in their second and third year, including with top sports teams such as the London Irish Academy, the London Marathon and the London Moonwalk. Kila continued, “There are so many opportunities for work experience throughout the course, most of which is organised by the lecturers, they have so many connections and it means that you get to work on some fantastic events throughout the year.
“Practical experience is crucial so it is fantastic that there is so much volunteer work available. Personally, I’ve worked with several international rugby teams including the New Zealand Rugby Union team, the Fiji Rugby League team and the England Rugby Seven’s team, all of which have been amazing experiences.”
As part of the course, students have to undertake three mandatory blocks of work placements either at independent rehabilitation clinics, or with sports teams. Kila said, “I absolutely love the work placements. A lot of the classroom work involves practicing on fellow students, who usually don’t have an injury, so it’s great to be able to work with athletes who actually have a problem with their muscles and joints. It’s also reassuring because you can really see your progression throughout the course of the year and make sure you are on the right track with everything you've learnt in the classroom.”
As well as offering practical experience, placements also allow students to develop networks and contacts, which often result in job opportunities after graduation. Kila added, “During my first placement I was able to secure a job in Cornwall as a physiotherapist, which I will continue after graduation.” Although, as a London Irish Rugby fan, she would love to work with the team on a permanent basis.
When asked if she would recommend the course, Kila said, “I would definitely recommend the Sports Rehabilitation course at St Mary’s, it offers top-notch academic theory, backed up by practical work with some of the best teams in the world, you couldn’t ask for any more.”Media enquiries
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