And so we reach the final episode of 2025! The Sports Therapy Association Podcast has now been streaming LIVE every Tuesday Night at 8pm for an incredible 5 years and 7 weeks, and as the 2025 end of year festivities rapidly approach, host Matt Phillips is joined by some of the Sports Therapy Association team who together look back at the highlights of 2025, and look forward to what will, could or should be happening in 2026.

On The Christmas Panel:

• Gary Benson - Founder of The STA
• Scott Loynes - Regional Rep Coordinator and host of the weekly STA Coffee Chats
• Gemma Puzas - Host of ‘Women In Sports Therapy’ Community & Podcast (WIST)
• Stevie Barr - STA Champion & Founder of the Scottish Therapists Facebook Group

Chapter Markers

• 00:00:00 - Welcome to the Sports Therapy Association Podcast
• 00:02:25 - Meet the STA Panel
• 00:11:03 - Reflecting on Therapist Wellbeing
• 00:12:37 - The Importance of Therapist Personal Welfare
• 00:15:42 - Strategies to Avoid Therapist Burnout
• 00:24:53 - Women’s Health Focus
• 00:32:11 - Conversations on Female Athletes
• 00:38:39 - Disability Awareness Month
• 00:41:19 - Looking back at the Reflections series
• 00:44:40 - Optimism for the Future of Massage
• 00:51:16 - Collaboration Among Sports Therapy Stakeholders
• 00:58:31 - January 2026 Focus on Neurodivergence

Useful Links

• Sports Therapy Association Website

Want to join the live recordings? Episodes of the Sports Therapy Association podcast are recorded live every TUESDAY at 8pm on the Sports Therapy Association YOUTUBE CHANNEL and FACEBOOK page. Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an STA member! If you cannot join us live, be sure to subscribe to the 'Sports Therapy Association Podcast' on all popular podcast apps to be notified when new episodes are available.

Interested in joining the STA? Use the code PODCAST25 to get 3 MONTHS EXTRA when you join for a single year! In other words, £75 will get you 15 months instead of 12! Only valid for NEW members. If you are Level 3 (qualified after 2014) make sure you choose the ‘associate member’ option.

In Ep.266 of the Sports Therapy Association Podcast, Matt Phillips hosts a candid discussion with Anna Maria Mazzierri, Director of The ST School, and Gary Benson, Founder Of The STA, about whether sports therapists should diagnose. They explore the difference between vocational and university routes, the current unregulated landscape, professional membership standards, and legal and insurance implications.

Key takeaways include prioritising clinical reasoning and red-flag screening, the value of referral and communication, protecting scope of practice through strong governance and reflective CPD, and the importance of listening to and treating the whole person rather than chasing labels. Chapter Markers

• 00:00:00 - Welcome to the Sports Therapy Association Podcast
• 00:02:05 - Meet the Guests: Anna Maria Mazzieri and Gary Benson
• 00:05:31 - Defining Sports Therapists
• 00:07:45 - The Challenge of Title Regulation
• 00:09:33 - Professional Associations and Standards
• 00:10:31 - The Role of Professional Associations
• 00:12:12 - Education and Experience in Therapy
• 00:15:25 - Diagnosis and Its Implications
• 00:24:22 - The Power of Communication
• 00:36:58 - The Value of Therapists
• 00:41:27 - The Importance of Listening
• 00:49:10 - Red Flags in Therapy
• 00:54:12 - Conversations Over Consultations
• 00:55:39 - Insurance and Scope of Practice
• 00:59:34 - Emphasizing Patient Relationships
• 01:02:22 - Looking Ahead to Collaboration in 2026
• 01:06:00 - Thanks to Society of Sports Therapists (SST) and Sports Therapy Organisation (ST0)

Useful Links

• The ST School Website
• Sports Therapy Association Website

Want to join the live recordings? Episodes of the Sports Therapy Association podcast are recorded live every TUESDAY at 8pm on the Sports Therapy Association YOUTUBE CHANNEL and FACEBOOK page. Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an STA member! If you cannot join us live, be sure to subscribe to the 'Sports Therapy Association Podcast' on all popular podcast apps to be notified when new episodes are available.

Interested in joining the STA? Use the code PODCAST25 to get 3 MONTHS EXTRA when you join for a single year! In other words, £75 will get you 15 months instead of 12! Only valid for NEW members. If you are Level 3 (qualified after 2014) make sure you choose the ‘associate member’ option.

In Ep.265 of the Sports Therapy Association Podcast, special guest Mike James, aka 'The Endurance Physio' joins host Matt Phillips to reflect on the recent Therapy Expo 2025, held at the NEC Birmingham. Listen as they discuss this year's highs, lows, everything in between, and what the future could / should hold for Therapy Expo. As speakers, theatre hosts, and members of the Therapy Expo Advisory Board, Mike James and Matt Phillips have both seen Therapy Expo evolve from a roomful of attendees in Manchester back in 2013, to becoming the UK’s largest multi-disciplinary event, with over 2,000 delegates, 100 specialist speakers, 150 certified CPD sessions, and 150+ exhibitors. Key takeaways include calls for longer, more practical and interdisciplinary sessions, as well as greater audience interaction. Matt & Mike celebrate the growing collaboration between organisations and speakers and highlight new content plans for 2026, including its new name: "The Therapy Show'. Early bird tickets for next year are just £49 in December! Also mentioned is Mike's new podcast "The Everyday Athlete Podcast" with co-host Rosi Sexton, Osteopath & first British Woman to ever fight in the UFC.

Useful Links

• Mike James The Endurance Physio on Facebook
• Mike James The Endurance Physio on Instagram
• The Everyday Athlete Podcast on Spotify
• Therapy Expo Website
• Therapy Expo on Instagram: @therapy_expo
• Therapy Expo on Facebook
• Sports Therapy Association Website

Want to join the live recordings? Episodes of the Sports Therapy Association podcast are recorded live every TUESDAY at 8pm on the Sports Therapy Association YOUTUBE CHANNEL and FACEBOOK page. Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an STA member! If you cannot join us live, be sure to subscribe to the 'Sports Therapy Association Podcast' on all popular podcast apps to be notified when new episodes are available.

Interested in joining the STA? Use the code PODCAST25 to get 3 MONTHS EXTRA when you join for a single year! In other words, £75 will get you 15 months instead of 12! Only valid for NEW members. If you are Level 3 (qualified after 2014) make sure you choose the ‘associate member’ option.