Even though all of us might not be professional athletes today, we have dreamt of being sports persons at some point of time in our lives. Who wouldn’t want to play his/her favourite game while being loved by millions of people across the world?
However, it can’t be denied that only some of us are blessed with the focus, mental fortitude and genes to make it to the big stage. But that doesn’t mean we give up on our dreams of a career in sports, as there are other ways of going about it! The global sporting industry is worth over $ 600 billion today and is highly diversified in nature. In fact, there are some well-known sports-related careers in the medicine space that fans can pursue. These opportunities are directly related to sports but don’t involve playing it at the professional level. Let’s look at some of these options below.
Physical Therapist
Are you aware that pro-level footballers require anywhere from 48 to 72 hours of physical recovery after each match Sometimes three days are also not enough as creatinine kinase,
responsible for muscle repairs and produced by the brain, can take up to 120 hours for it to return back to the base level.
Did you know Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese and Juventus striker and one of the best football players to have ever played the game, takes cold water bath at 3 AM in the morning and spends time inside a cryotherapy chamber at -200° temperature, to help his body regenerate muscles faster?
Physical therapists are in great demand today as they play a critical role in maintaining the fitness levels of athletes. Several professional sports organisations have over a dozen physical therapists on their teams to keep their players in top shape.
Sports Psychologist
Modern-day sport is not so much about physical skills or athleticism as it is about the mental attitude. The players today require stronger mental endurance and resilience to gain edge over their opposition on the field. This is where a sports psychologist can be of great help. They are medical professionals who help athletes manage stress, experience mental relaxation, overcome anxiety and do many other things. All these combined improve the mental stamina of athletes.
Sports Physician
A qualified and seasoned sports physician can work his/her way up and become the head of a sports organization’s medicine department. All aspects related to the health of the players go through this professional. Sports physicians also play an active role in various surgical and clinical procedures performed on players. Even at times when they are not actively performing the surgery, they play a key role in selecting the best surgeons from across the world to perform such procedures. Furthermore, all pertinent departments like therapy, psychology, nutrition etc. report to the head physician. In addition, no athlete can follow any new conditioning program, pop in a vitamin pill or make dietary changes without taking this physician into confidence.