If you are interested in sports medicine and healthy orthopedics, then this is the place for you! Over 6,500 strong, the Sports Physical Therapy Section is the third-largest section among the APTA’s nineteen specialty sections. The Sports Physical Therapy Section provides a mechanism for the physical therapist to become involved in practice and research related to the subspecialty of sports physical therapy. These functions of the SPTS are, in part, accomplished by Section-sponsored continuing education programs, home study programs, sports physical therapy related publications, and a job placement service, in addition to a variety of other projects sponsored to increase the awareness of the role of the sports physical therapist.
Membership entitles you to many important professional benefits:
- Communicate with over 6,500 of your colleagues across the United States
- Connect with sports physical therapists throughout North America and around the world The SPTS has a close relationship with Sports Physiotherapy Canada and are members of the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapy
- Subscription to the monthly Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy. This journal is designed to enhance your professional growth, covering both scientific and clinical subjects.
- Subscription to the quarterly The North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, created to address current physical therapy trends and practices to improve the care of the professionally and recreationally active individual.
- Subscription to the new publication Sports Health, a product of the AOSSM, beginning in January 2009.
- On-line access to the members-only sections of the SPTS website -- www.spts.org.
- Reduced registration fees to the Section’s annual Team Concept Conference
- Reduced tuition fees for Home Study Courses and special on-site courses such as our
- Emergency Responder Course
The Sports Physical Therapy Section also offers Special Interest Groups for interested members to join. They include Emergency Response, Shoulder, Knee, Female Athlete, Golf and Golf Performance, Collegiate Athlete and Pediatrics. These Special Interest Groups (commonly known as SIGs) provide members with networking tools to discuss topics and find information based on their particular area of interest.
The Section is always looking for new ways to support its members and assist in their professional development. Job opportunities, residency and fellowship programs, research materials, educational opportunities and legislative advocacy are all benefits of membership partially funded by membership dues. Our members receive the highest level of membership benefits.
Members also have many opportunities to serve the Section and further the practice of sports physical therapy through work on specialty committees:
- Administrative services
- Professional development
- Educational programming
- Special interest groups
- Government affairs
- Membership services
- Section award programs
- Sports specialty
Don’t just be a spectator…be a player! Join the Sports Physical Therapy Section today!