Physiotherapy VS Sport and exercise science

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Sorry OP for hijacking this thread but these posts have been playing on my mind.

Is it worth it to do sports science with the aim of doing a PhD and getting a career in human performance research? Or am I best off looking to another field?

Sorry OP for hijacking this thread but these posts have been playing on my mind.

Is it worth it to do sports science with the aim of doing a PhD and getting a career in human performance research? Or am I best off looking to another field?

It's very hard to judge a Physiotherapy course V Sports Science. The content of all Physio courses are fairly similar as they all have to be accredited by the CSP and the HCPC whereas the content of Sports Science courses can vary. I would suggest that Sports Rehab would be a happy medium. Otherwise doing medicine or a highly recognised science degree and than specialising in Sports Med is a very good option if you're willing to put in the time.

That PhD Specialism, assuming there is some demand, sounds like a really great thing to go into!

I only looked at degree level stuff for SS if I'm honest, so can't say much, sorry!

If you do a MSc and PhD in it, and become a researcher, then that would be great; but I also expect you could do a lot for organisations such as sports clubs if you build a reputation (lots of £ there).
I'm assuming human performance would involve a lot of important facets too, such as recovery from injury and the rest of the sports medicine field?

Are there organisations responsible for such research?
In my case of brain science; there are places like hospitals, universities, and charities which employ, for instance.

Part of my problem with deciding is that I don't know if there's a demand. I think there might be seeing as sport and fitness is becoming more popular but I guess I'll have to do some more research

Yeah, human performance does have lots of different areas, I'm paticularly interested in exercise physiology and elite performance.

I can't remember off the top off my head but I have seen some organisations that do sports science reaearch, and then theres private healthcare companies like BUPA etc.

Thanks for your reply, it gave me something to think about!

Thanks. Do you do sport science or physiotherapy? Or do you just know a bit about them?


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I'm a Physio student. One of my mates is a mature student who previously did Sports Science. Seems to have built a pretty solid career in Strength and Conditioning before he decided on a change of direction (or just adding a string to his bow!) so it definitely can be done even if the opportunities are scant.

Ah i see. Can I take this opportunity to ask you a few physio related questions? Is there a lot of free time at uni? When you start working for the NHS in a hospital do physio's have their own offices like doctors where patients come into the room? What a levels did you take?
Thanks in advance.


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Free Time

Very much depends on where you study. Most Uni's I know of have probably about 20-25 contact hrs in 1st year dropping slightly thereafter. That can mean you're in practically everyday for a few hours or you have 2 and 1/2 full days and 2 and 1/2 days for Independent study. It really just depends on the Uni.

Your Own Office

Really depends on what area you work in. Private practice sports injuries work a bit like that. In Outpatients/MSK (MSK being the "sports" or "work" type injuries laypeople associate with Physio) you work in a "gym" with other Physios where you have a curtained off cubicle with a plinth and a wider open floor space and injury rehab equipment.

In inpatients you may have something similar but often in Stroke or Respiratory patients don't leave the ward so Mohammed must go to the mountain if you will! Any placement I have been on Physio's have their own office, shared by the entire Physio team in which to write notes etc.


On A levels I'm not much use I'm afraid. I'm Irish and came through the Irish Leaving Cert system and did a Sports Rehab course there before going to Uni in the UK. I studied Biology, Physics, French and History on top of Irish, English and Maths which are compulsory.

In terms of A Levels I would suggest Biology is a key one. Having a good grounding in Anatomy is nice but not essential as no matter where you go they'll teach you in their own inimitable way (probably do that in Sports Sci too). I also find having Physics useful, think it's a great subject to study.

Ah okay thanks. Have u completed your degree? And is the degree a challenge or can someone comfortable get a first? Thanks again for your help.


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Heading in to final year. It's not too bad I don't find. Once you put the work in. Most people who are serious about it can pass comfortably but finding those extra marks for a 1st is a challenge. Same as in any degree really.

Ah I see. What uni do you go and what did you get in your a levels?


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My brother in law did Sport Therapy and he's managed to get a job as fitness coach for a league 2 football club. It was partly due to connections he had through playing semi pro football for years and he had also spent time at said club during work experience placements. So a job in this field can be done you just need to lay the right ground work.

On the other hand physiotherapy is a vocational degree meaning you are training specifically for one particular career. This makes you very desirable to employers when you qualify as you already have the necessary skills to walk straight into a job in the NHS or private practice. Physio job opportunities aren't as fruitful as say nursing however I would say that out of all the 6 or 7 physio graduates that I know personally, not one of them waited longer than 6 month for a job.


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