Physical therapists on their marks for London 2012

Physical therapists from all over the world are playing a vital role in The Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in July and August. As well as the physical therapists accompanying their own national teams, 470 volunteers will be delivering professional services as part of a centrally co-ordinated workforce to provide help to any athlete who needs it – particularly from nations that have no medical or physical therapy teams of their own.

In this special issue of WCPT News, we focus on the physical therapists who are putting physical therapy at the centre of the Games: Marie Elaine Grant, physiotherapy representative on the International Olympic Committee’s Medical Commission; Lynn Booth, clinical lead for physical therapy services for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games; and Nicola Phillips, Chair of the International Federation for Sports Physical Therapy, a WCPT recognised subgroup, who has been providing advice for the recruitment of volunteer physical therapists. You can read the stories of their involvement in our Olympics special section.

“London is buzzing at the moment,” says Brenda Myers, WCPT Secretary General. “Events like this create wonderful opportunities to raise the profile of the profession internationally. There’s no doubt that physical therapists have an increasingly high profile in international sport, in improving performance as well as providing rehabilitation. London 2012 will provide further evidence of this.”

Brenda Myers, Catherine Sykes and Rachel Moore from the WCPT Secretariat will be serving as London 2012 “Games Makers”. As part of a volunteer force of 70,000 across 32 areas, they will be providing assistance on the catering, cleaning and waste, security and victory ceremonies teams.

Read more in our Olympics special section.

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