How elite football physios can help grassroots players

The Football Medicine & Performance Association (FMPA) is the representative body for medicine and performance practitioners in professional football. As part of an industry where job security is precarious I realised there was an opportunity to make the best use of members who have worked at the very top of the sport.

We have a terrific resource of practitioners who, upon leaving the game, enter into private practice with tremendous skills and knowledge. But the grassroots game has had little or no investment in medical terms and relies on untrained volunteers often administering questionable advice. So it was felt that we could put the two together for mutual benefit.

The FMPA Register was the result and launched recently, It serves to highlight practitioners from several disciplines who have worked in the professional game. Benchmark criteria for registration stipulates that all those applying must have worked in a professional capacity for, or on behalf of, a professional club or player.

Each practitioner listing, and their practice, is then promoted to approximately 50 clubs and 2000 players within their local area via social media. We aim to establish direct contact with clubs, promote FMPA practitioners and showcase the Association by disseminating information such as injury advice and even careers guidance. 

The register is a resource which we will signpost to the grassroots game. Players will be able to access practitioners with specialist knowledge and can even source those who have worked for the team they support. Also, all our practitioners are encouraged to offer a discount to grassroots players as part of our initiative to `give back to the game’.

Any physiotherapist who has experience in professional football can become part of the register by contacting register@fmpa.co.uk or by visiting the website.

• Eamon Salmon  is a physiotherapist who has worked for a number of top flight football clubs