Therapist-Athlete commitment Policy.
1) Your Therapist’s commitment to you.
a) Confidentiality.
All information you provide your therapist will be kept in confidence. Your personal details and medical information will not be made available to third parties unless permission to do so is granted by you.
B) Recommendations.
Using your therapist’s judgement and experience, they will suggest certain therapeutic treatments, corrective exercises and/or other lifestyle advice that they believe will help you achieve your personal goals, but if at any time your have any specific requests, please inform your therapist so that they can accommodate them. Therapeutic treatments will consist of one or more of the following treatments: manual therapy (including sports massage and soft tissue therapy), advanced techniques (including instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilisation, dry cupping and percussive therapy), thermotherapy (including cryotherapy and heat application), exercise therapy, strapping and taping. Exercise recommendations will consist of one or more of the following fitness components: aerobic, resistance (including power, strength, and endurance), speed (including change of direction and agility), flexibility and mobility exercises. You are encouraged to ask any questions or request further explanations about any procedures at any time before, during and after any treatment session. Your therapist retains the right to terminate any treatment sessions upon observation of any symptoms or undue distress or abnormal response.
C) Referral.
Your therapist intends to work with you within the scope of their knowledge and competencies as a Soft Tissue Therapist. Therefore, when your therapist believes that it is in your best interests to see another health professional, they will refer you appropriately.
D) Last-minute Cancelations.
Unforeseen circumstances may arise which require your Sports Massage and Soft Tissue Therapy treatment to be rescheduled. In this event, the following policy will apply:
If your therapist is forced to cancel your treatment within 24 hours, they will make up the session at no extra charge to you.
If your therapist is forced to cancel your treatment with more than 24 hours’ notice, they will reschedule as soon as possible.
If your therapist runs late in starting your session, they will extend the session time accordingly, or make it up at a future date, whichever is most convenient to you.
2. Your responsibilities to your Therapist.
A) Disclosure of information.
Please disclose all health information as requested at your initial consultation and keep your therapist updated and informed of any changes to your health status. This includes all medical conditions; physical, mental, injuries, allergies and medication. If necessary, you may need to seek clearance from a medical professional before participation in any treatment programme recommended by your therapist. Changes to your health status can be disclosed to your coach by completing and submitting the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q+), which can be accessed by heading to Proactive Reporting.
B) Accepting Potential Risks.
Sports Massage Therapy and Soft Tissue Therapy are manual forms of treatment. Like many forms of treatment, there can be side effects. No matter how minor the effect, or remote the possibility, we are obliged to inform you they do exist. Side effects vary from person to person, but usually dissipate after 24 to 48 hours. Such potential side effects include, but are not limited to: muscle soreness, bruising, inflammation, cramp, erythema, fatigue, nausea, headache, increased urination/defecation, thirst, heightened emotional state, cold-like symptoms, excessive tiredness or lethargy, altered sleep patterns, and recurrence of old symptoms.
While for most people exercise is hugely positive with many health benefits, there remains some potential risks to health. Such potential risks include, but are not limited to, musculoskeletal injuries (e.g., strains and sprains), episodes of transient light-headedness or loss of consciousness. By completing the informed consent form as a part of the PAR-Q+ and undertaking any services provided by Empower Strength & Conditioning and their staff, you are wilfully assuming such risks and release Empower Strength & Conditioning and their staff from any liability with respect to any damage or injury (including death) that you may suffer during exercise. It is your responsibility to inform your therapist of any abnormal symptoms that you may suffer during treatment or exercise and you may stop or delay any exercise or treatment if you so desire.
c) Cancellations.
If you cancel your Sports Massage or Soft Tissue Therapy treatment with less than 24 hours’ notice, or fail to show, you will be required to pay 100% of the treatment fee. If you cancel your Sports Massage or Soft Tissue Therapy treatment with more than 24 hours’ notice, your treatment will be rescheduled as soon as possible. If you are late to a treatment, your therapist will do their best to get the most out of the remaining time left in the treatment, as your therapist is unable to run over time due to previously arranged client commitments. If you are more than 15 minutes late, your therapist is unable to conduct the treatment due to insufficient time to complete a safe and effective treatment and will subsequently be considered as a failure to show; you will be required to pay 100% of the treatment fee. The only exception to the cancellation fee is if you have had a medical emergency in less than 24 hours before the pre-arranged session, have been either hospitalised, have a temporary illness that would deem treatment unsuitable or have been recommended by a medical professional to avoid treatment. If you need to reschedule, cancel or are running late for a session, please contact your therapist as soon as possible or email coach@empowerstrength.co.uk.
D) Preparation for treatment.
To get the most out of your treatment, it is recommended that you:
Have a small snack or light meal 2-3 hours before your treatment.
Are well hydrated (2-2.5 litres of water consumed per day) and avoid alcohol prior to treatment. We do have free filtered drinking water available on-site, but you must bring your own water bottle. Alternatively, bottled water can be purchased on-site.
If you are unwell, inform your therapist as early as possible.
Wear appropriate gym/fitness clothing (e.g., shorts, jogging bottoms, leggings, t-shirt, hooded jacket). If your therapist deems your clothing is unsuitable to perform treatment and/or exercise safely, you will not be permitted to participate that day. If you are unsure what to wear, please ask your therapist beforehand. While we do not have designated changing facilities on-site, we have the sport therapy clinic available for changing if required, as long as they are not currently in use.
Are ready at the appointed time. Please aim to be on-site 5 minutes before your arranged treatment.
E) After-Care Advice.
Following any treatment, it is recommended that you:
Follow any nutritional, exercise and lifestyle advice recommended during the treatment.
Drink plenty of water (2-2.5 litres of water consumed per day) and avoid alcohol for 12 hours following treatment. We do have free filtered drinking water available on-site, but you must bring your own water bottle. Alternatively, bottled water can be purchased on-site.
Avoid stimulants such as tea, coffee, fizzy drinks, and other drugs. Substitute with herbal or fruit teas.
Avoid heavy or excessively spiced meals.
Wherever possible, rest and relax after treatment to allow body to heal and settle.
Avoid carrying heavy objects/baggage to allow muscles to ease off.
F) Communication and Commitment.
While your therapist can give you the tools and encouragement to reach your goals, ultimately you will need to assume responsibility for making the required changes. Your therapist can best help you with this process if you keep them fully informed of any issues that arise for you. If you have any questions or concerns whatsoever, please do not hesitate to voice them with your therapist.
3. Terms of this Agreement
By undertaking any services at Empower Strength & Conditioning, you acknowledge that you are paying Empower Strength & Conditioning for the services outlined in this agreement (e.g., Sports Massage Therapy and/or Soft Tissue Therapy treatments) as agreed upon during your initial consultation with your therapist. If you do not use the services, you will still be responsible to make payments until you inform your therapist in writing that you wish to freeze or cancel your payments. Any paid amounts will not be refunded for any reason, but any excess payments will offset any future fees or other services. Your therapist will deliver their treatments and advice to the best of their ability and knowledge, and will always respect all applicable UK laws. You agree to make all payments by the due date, with latest being 30 days from the date of invoice. If you do not make payment by the due date, you will be charged an additional 50% of any outstanding invoice.