Physical Therapy for Professional Sports

Professional athletes often are hurt on the job. Their recovery may seem to take a long time, but occasionally they return for the next game and perform as if nothing had happened. It is likely a physical therapist was responsible for their recovery. Sports physical therapy education and licensing are tough, but they can lead to a rewarding career.

Undergraduate Education

• Students hoping to become physical therapists for professional sports must attend a post-secondary institution. Many schools offer majors that prepare students for physical therapy programs in graduate school, including athletic training, health and fitness, and psychology. Many courses offered in these majors are prerequisites for admission to physical therapy school, according to the Purdue University website.

Graduate Education

• Physical therapist applicants should do well on the GRE.

  Admission to a graduate physical therapy program is difficult. Typically, students should finish their undergraduate careers with a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average. Admission committees weigh many criteria, including course difficulties and grades. Applicants also should score at least 450 in both the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Exam, according to the Purdue site. Doctoral programs are available. The University of Florida offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy program and an interdisciplinary doctorate that includes rehabilitation science. The University of Iowa offers a clinical doctorate and a research and teaching doctorate.

Licensing

• Physical therapy graduates must be licensed by their respective states before they can begin practice. Licensing varies from state to state but generally requires that applicants have attended an accredited institution and pass the National Physical Therapy Examination. Some states also require continuing education, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

Employment

• Physical therapists who treat professional athletes can work for a hospital or a sports team. Professional athletes seek the aid of physical therapists to recover from injuries or to enhance their physical ability. Physical therapists work one-on-one with their patients, doing examinations, therapy and rehabilitation, and they accept most health insurance plans, reports the University of Colorado website.

Job Availability, Pay, and Benefits

• Employment in physical therapy is expected to grow at above average rates. As of July 2010, physical therapists' salaries generally range from $55,000 to $70,000 a year. Bonuses vary between $1,000 and $3,500 a year. About 80 percent of physical therapists have health insurance, 60 percent have dental insurance and 40 percent vision insurance, though nearly 20 percent report having no insurance of any kind, according to the PayScale website.