shared http://www.sportstherapy.edu.au/testimonials/the-value-of-work-experience/
Testimonials - Work Experience - Remedial Massage Courses
“When the letter arrived from the Australian Sports Commission my heart stopped. I ripped open the envelope, ecstatic to read that my application for work experience with the Australian Institute of Sport Physical Therapies Department had been successful.
I knew an experience like this would be life changing. I and one other student were chosen to spend two weeks working alongside elite athletes and incredibly talented therapists at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
Upon my arrival at the AIS, I was astounded by the facilities surrounding me. It was as if I had just entered a miniature world within our own. Moving towards the dining hall, I endeavoured towards having some lunch; the range of healthy options was overwhelming. And this was only lunch!
Our day began with a tour of the AIS and the Sports Science & Medicine Centre where, we would spend most of our time. Our days consisted of treating athletes, observing soft tissue therapists & physiotherapists at work, tutorials and observing teams during training sessions. Within the first few hours of my experience, I was thrown into the deep end and asked to treat a female basketballer under the supervision of my mentor.
As nervous as I was, it was a fantastic opportunity to break the ice and get a real feel for what it's like to work with elite athletes. In my time at AIS, I was lucky enough to treat a large number of athletes from a wide variety of sports including: netball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, swimming and rowing. It was a fantastic experience to treat individuals who had a thorough awareness of their own bodies and were comfortable with numerous treatment modalities.
We visited the recovery centre and observed some of the walkers during their recovery sessions which involved interchanging between the plunge pool (which was a freezing 14 degrees) and the warm spa. I returned to Melbourne, after my time at the AIS with a wealth of newly accumulated knowledge and a fire in my belly to pursue work as a therapist within a competitive sporting environment. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the tutorials that I participated in and found them extremely helpful. I feel that I have become more informed and have grown as a therapist; from learning within the workplace and practicing and developed new skills.
Whenever there was a spare moment, we were fortunate to be allowed to observe the soft tissue therapists, physiotherapists and Pilates teacher's at work with the athletes. This allowed us to follow the progression of particular athletes following a rehabilitation program whilst they were regularly getting manual therapy. I was fortunate enough to observe some amazing physiotherapists and have learnt some great manual therapy techniques that I have never seen before, which I could use on a day to day basis in my own clinic. My knowledge of sports injury amassed after reading athletes notes and learning from the physiotherapists. Each physiotherapist was allocated a team.
I was able to interact with the different therapists to gain a better understanding of the common injuries for each sport. We spent two of our afternoons at AIS watching the swimmers have their lactate measurements taken by the physiology department and we participated in a lab which looked at individual swimmers and diving biomechanics. We were able to use the recovery centre and get to experience for ourselves, the full effects of the hot and cold recovery program. I have to admit that I lasted a grand total of 20 seconds in the plunge pool.
Overall, I had a fantastic time at the Australian Institute of Sport and I feel extremely opportune to have been part of this fantastic opportunity; to get an insight into the day to day running of the soft tissue therapy department. I have definitely grown as a therapist and the experience has made me realise that my passion for therapist is within the field of sport. Money couldn't buy the incredible experience that I have gained over my 2 weeks at the AIS and I will be forever humbled by the fact that I was one of the two students selected to take part in 2011."
Upon my arrival at the AIS, I was astounded by the facilities surrounding me. It was as if I had just entered a miniature world within our own. Moving towards the dining hall, I endeavoured towards having some lunch; the range of healthy options was overwhelming. And this was only lunch!
Our day began with a tour of the AIS and the Sports Science & Medicine Centre where, we would spend most of our time. Our days consisted of treating athletes, observing soft tissue therapists & physiotherapists at work, tutorials and observing teams during training sessions. Within the first few hours of my experience, I was thrown into the deep end and asked to treat a female basketballer under the supervision of my mentor.
As nervous as I was, it was a fantastic opportunity to break the ice and get a real feel for what it's like to work with elite athletes. In my time at AIS, I was lucky enough to treat a large number of athletes from a wide variety of sports including: netball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, swimming and rowing. It was a fantastic experience to treat individuals who had a thorough awareness of their own bodies and were comfortable with numerous treatment modalities.
We visited the recovery centre and observed some of the walkers during their recovery sessions which involved interchanging between the plunge pool (which was a freezing 14 degrees) and the warm spa. I returned to Melbourne, after my time at the AIS with a wealth of newly accumulated knowledge and a fire in my belly to pursue work as a therapist within a competitive sporting environment. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the tutorials that I participated in and found them extremely helpful. I feel that I have become more informed and have grown as a therapist; from learning within the workplace and practicing and developed new skills.
Whenever there was a spare moment, we were fortunate to be allowed to observe the soft tissue therapists, physiotherapists and Pilates teacher's at work with the athletes. This allowed us to follow the progression of particular athletes following a rehabilitation program whilst they were regularly getting manual therapy. I was fortunate enough to observe some amazing physiotherapists and have learnt some great manual therapy techniques that I have never seen before, which I could use on a day to day basis in my own clinic. My knowledge of sports injury amassed after reading athletes notes and learning from the physiotherapists. Each physiotherapist was allocated a team.
I was able to interact with the different therapists to gain a better understanding of the common injuries for each sport. We spent two of our afternoons at AIS watching the swimmers have their lactate measurements taken by the physiology department and we participated in a lab which looked at individual swimmers and diving biomechanics. We were able to use the recovery centre and get to experience for ourselves, the full effects of the hot and cold recovery program. I have to admit that I lasted a grand total of 20 seconds in the plunge pool.
Overall, I had a fantastic time at the Australian Institute of Sport and I feel extremely opportune to have been part of this fantastic opportunity; to get an insight into the day to day running of the soft tissue therapy department. I have definitely grown as a therapist and the experience has made me realise that my passion for therapist is within the field of sport. Money couldn't buy the incredible experience that I have gained over my 2 weeks at the AIS and I will be forever humbled by the fact that I was one of the two students selected to take part in 2011."
Renee Mitchell
Advanced Diploma of Remedial Massage (Myotherapy) Graduate 2011
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