Is Sports Therapy Just for Athletes? (No. Here’s Who I Actually Help in Goole.)

When most people hear the term ‘sports therapy’, they picture professional athletes, high-performance training rooms, and elite rehab programmes. And because of that, a lot of people in Goole who actually need help never step foot into our sports therapy clinic… simply because they assume it “isn’t for them.”

If you’ve been dealing with back pain, knee pain, stiffness, or recurring injuries this post is your permission slip: Sports therapy is NOT just for athletes.
In fact, most of the people I help aren’t competitive athletes at all.

Sports therapy is simply effective, modern MSK (musculoskeletal) care: helping people move better, stay active, stay pain-free, and get the most out of their life.

Below are the main groups of people I help every single week here at Declan Eastwood Sports Therapy.

1. Desk Workers With Aches, Stiffness, and “Tech Neck”

Whether you work from home or sit in an office, long hours at a desk are brutal on the body.
Common problems I see:

• Persistent neck stiffness

• Shoulder ache or burning between the shoulder blades

• Tight hips

• Lower back pain that flares when you move from sitting to standing

• Headaches that start after long screen sessions

None of this means something is “seriously wrong.” It often means the body is being overloaded in one position and underloaded in others.

Sports therapy helps desk workers by:

• Improving joint mobility

• Reducing muscular tension

• Building the strength needed to maintain posture without pain

• Giving you easy, low-effort exercises that fit into your work routine

The goal isn’t to turn a desk worker into an athlete — it’s to help you finish your workday without feeling broken.

2. Busy Parents Trying to Stay Active

Parents don’t stop. Lifting toddlers, carrying bags, tidying up, rushing around, interrupted sleep — it’s practically a sport in itself.

Common issues I see:

• Back pain when lifting children

• Hip and knee pain from years of “on your feet” parenting

• Shoulder pain (usually from holding a baby on one side for months)

Sports therapy helps parents by:

• Fixing the underlying movement issues

• Reducing pain

• Teaching simple strength exercises to protect the body long-term

• Making sure you can keep up with your kids without suffering for it later

You don’t need to be an athlete… you're already doing physical work every day.

3. Manual Workers, Tradespeople & Anyone With a Physical Job

Joiners, plumbers, delivery drivers, warehouse staff — your body is your toolkit.
And when it hurts, everything becomes harder.

Sports therapy is ideal for you because:

• It focuses on functional movement, not generic “rest and hope it heals” advice

• It gets you back to work safely

• It builds strength in the areas you rely on most

• It prevents future breakdowns

You don’t need months of rest (and you definitely don’t need to rely on painkillers).
You need targeted treatment and a plan.

4. Recreational Athletes and Weekend Warriors

This group is athletic — but not necessarily competing at a high level.
Think:

• Runners

• Cyclists

• Gym & Cross Fit lovers

• Golfers

• Horse riders

• Five-a-side footballers

• People who simply enjoy moving and want to stay injury-free

Sports therapy helps recreational athletes by:

• Reducing niggles before they become full injuries

• Improving performance through better movement

• Shortening recovery time

• Helping you return to your sport confidently after injury

You don’t need to live in the gym to deserve proper rehab.

5. Anyone Who Wants to Avoid Painkillers, GP Appointments & Surgery

Here’s the truth:
Most GP visits for back, neck, or joint pain end in either painkillers, waiting lists, or being told “it’s just wear and tear.”

Sports therapy gives people what the GP system can’t:

• Time

• Hands-on treatment

• A personalised plan

• Reassurance and education

• Clear guidance on what to do and what NOT to do

Most pains resolve much faster with the right intervention — not by ignoring them.

So… Who Is Sports Therapy Actually For?

Sports therapy is for anyone who wants to: move better, feel stronger, and avoid long term problems. It’s for people who want to fix the root cause and not just mask their symptoms.

Still Unsure If It’s Right for You?

If anything in this blog sounded like your situation, but you’re still unsure whether sports therapy is the right fit, you can start with a Free Discovery Visit

No treatment, no pressure, no commitment — just a quick chat about what’s going on and what your options are.

DM me or call 01405 480124 to get started.