Minimum Standards for Practitioners

The minimum standards required for listing are developed by EACH professional group, not by SportMedBC. Professions that are eligible to list members include those who have a specific sport medicine designation/qualification or those where a majority of their members work with athletes. While SportMedBC does not endorse the individual practitioners listed, we work with the various professional associations on an ongoing basis to ensure that the individuals listed possess the required qualifications and that they are represented accurately.

Professions that have an official sport medicine designation, or that have a majority of their members working with athletes are eligible to list qualified practitioners. Only those practitioners who meet the minimum qualifications and standards as set out by their respective professional organizations may be listed in the SportMed Directory of Practitioners.

The following are minimum qualifications/standards for practitioners to be listed in the various professional categories:

Acupuncturist

Acupuncturists listed are registered and licensed to practice in BC and have demonstrated an interest in sport medicine and have a minimum of three years experience in working with athletes of all levels. They are all members in good standing with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA) which oversees the registration of acupuncturists in the province. In addition, they are also members of British Columbia Qualified Acupuncturists and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association (QATCMA). Through this association, the group is establishing a diploma program in sports medicine acupuncture.

Athletic Therapist

All individuals listed are Certified members in good standing with the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association. A Certified Athletic Therapist is a health professional dedicated to providing services to the injured, active individual that includes the prevention, immediate care and ongoing rehabilitation of those injuries. Athletic Therapists provide immediate care of athletic injuries, basic emergency life support and provision of first aid. A certified Athletic Therapist utilizes contemporary rehabilitative techniques, therapeutic modalities, and physical reconditioning and supportive strapping procedures to promote an environment conducive to optimal healing in preparing the individual for safe reintegration into an active lifestyle.

Biomechanist

This section identifies individuals who have completed graduate studies (M.Sc. and/or Ph.D.) in Human Biomechanics. These individuals are current members and in good standing with the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB), International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) or Canadian Society of Biomechanics (CSB) and are actively involved in assisting coaches, sports medicine practitioners and athletes with biomechanical analyses of exercise. 

Individuals in this category will have completed a Master’s and/or Doctoral degree in Biomechanics with a specialization in: 1) sport performance, 2) mechanism of orthopaedic injury; and/or 3) validating new innovative solutions for the development of equipment, exercise and other therapeutic interventions. The Biomechanist performs qualitative and quantitative analyses to: 1) improve athletic performance technique; 2) identify variables that may contribute to mechanism of injury; and/or 3) validate solutions that may lead to improved performance and/or better therapeutic interventions for the prevention and rehabilitation of injuries.

Dietitian

In B.C., the title "Registered Dietitian," "Professional Dietitian," and "Dietitian" are protected by law – through provincial legislation – so that only qualified practitioners who have met education qualifications can use that title (RD, PD).

A Dietitian is a health professional who has at minimum a 5 year Bachelor's degree, specializing in food and nutrition, as well as a period of practical training in a hospital or community setting. Many Dietitians specialize in a variety of clinical and community nutrition areas. The Registered Dietitians listed in the SportMed Directory have a special interest in sport and some may specialize exclusively in this area.

Exercise Physiologist

This section identifies individuals who have conducted graduate (MSc or PhD) studies in exercise science, human kinetics, and/or kinesiology specializing exercise physiology. These individuals are members in good standing with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) and are actively involved in assisting coaches and athletes with physical preparation programs. 

The CSEP-Certified Exercise Physiologist (CSEP-CEP) is the most advanced health and fitness certification in Canada allowing certified members to work with high performance athletes, the general population, and varied clinical populations. Individuals in this category will have completed a four year degree in Physical Activity/Exercise Sciences/Kinesiology, Human Kinetics, etc., with a specialization in health-related fitness plus work- and sport-related fitness applications for asymptomatic and symptomatic populations. The CSEP-CEP performs assessments, prescribes conditioning exercise, as well as exercise supervision, counselling and healthy lifestyle education in apparently healthy individuals and/or populations with medical conditions, functional limitations or disabilities associated with musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, neuromuscular, and aging conditions. A CSEP-CEP is insured and certified annually by the CSEP Health & Fitness Program of BC.

Professional Fitness and Lifestyle Consultant (PFLC)

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) gives recognition to physical activity, fitness and lifestyle appraisal personnel with advanced qualifications in the field of exercise science. The CSEP-PFLC certification program recognizes individuals who have had advanced training in exercise science, lifestyle counselling and exercise prescription. These individuals are regarded as competent, autonomous appraisers who are qualified to work without supervision utilizing recognized sub-maximal and/or maximal testing protocols.

CSEP-PFLC's have a university degree in Kinesiology, Human Kinetics, or related areas and most CSEP-PFLC's are associated with an accredited fitness testing centre or facility or work as private consultants. CSEP-PFLC's do not administer appraisals to individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease unless cleared by a physician. A CSEP-PFLC is insured and certified annually by the CSEP Health & Fitness Program of BC.

Massage Therapist

This list includes Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) who are licensed to practice in the province of British Columbia and are members of the Massage Therapists' Association of BC's professional practice group in sport. This section also lists Registered Massage Therapists who are members of the Canadian Sport Massage Therapy Association (CSMTA) having, as a minimum, CSMTA Level 1. Certification candidates with CSMTA are classified as Level II practitioners and Level III denotes a fully Certified Sport Massage Therapist.

Mental Performance Consultant

This section lists the professional members of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association (CSPA), individuals who are currently delivering mental training services in British Columbia. CSPA members have a minimum of a Master’s Degree in a related field and have successfully completed a variety of courses relevant to mental performance consultation and foundational disciplines such as human kinetics or kinesiology, psychology and counseling. They also have extensive experience consulting with athletes, hands on sport experience and possess favorable supervisor and client evaluations.

Optometrist

This list includes optometrists (O.D.-Doctor of Optometry) with an interest in sport who are experienced and equipped to conduct a general oculo-visual examination of the athlete. Some of those listed are able to offer Sport Vision Assessment. Almost all personnel listed offer service in prescribing/dispensing eye glasses and contact lenses.

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Physicians listed in this section are specialists in orthopaedics who have an interest in working with athletes. Access to these individuals via the public medical system requires a referral from a general practitioners.

Pedorthist

The Pedorthic Association of Canada regulates the certification of pedorthic practitioners: Certified Pedorthist Canada, C. Ped ( C ), or Certified Pedorthist, C. Ped: clinical pedorthist; Certified Pedorthist Master Craftsman, C. Ped M.C., or Certified Orthopaedic Footwear Specialist, COFS: custom shoe maker.

Physician

All physicians listed are members of the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM) and have obtained their Diploma in Sport Medicine. CASEM is a national organization of physicians committed to excellence in the practice of medicine as it applies to all aspects of physical activity.

Physiotherapist

This section identifies physiotherapists who are Sport Physiotherapy Canada (SPC)-certified. A Certification Candidate has met basic emergency skill requirements, and is interested in developing (or achieving recognition for) competence in the specialty of Sports Physiotherapy. A Certificate Holder has a post-graduate Certificate in Sport Physiotherapy (Cert. Sport Physiotherapy) has the knowledge and skills in sports physical therapy that contribute to the assessment and treatment of athletic injuries in the clinical and acute care setting. They have also demonstrated competence in working independently at an athletic event and will have sufficient knowledge and experience to attend to injuries and needs that may occur. A Diploma Holder has a post-graduate Diploma in Sport Physiotherapy (Dip. Sport Physiotherapy) and will be able to look after the total needs of an athletic team, including pre-season conditioning, training camps, acute injury care, and complete rehabilitation of the athlete back to competitive level. Upon completion of the Diploma, a member will be entitled to call themselves a "Sport Physiotherapist" (dependant on provincial licensing regulations).

Podiatrist

This section lists podiatrists (D.P.M.-Doctor of Podiatric Medicine), identified by the BC Association of Podiatrists  who have an interest in sports and treat athletes on a regular basis.

Psychologist

This section supplies a list of psychologists who are registered with the College of Psychologists of B.C. and have expressed an interest in sport and working with athletes.

Strength & Conditioning Specialist

This section provides a list of Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (C.S.C.S.) who are members of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). C.S.C.S. qualified individuals hold a University or College degree in Arts or Science and have successfully completed the NSCA examination consisting of the scientific knowledge of strength training and conditioning along with the ability to apply this knowledge in practical settings. Most C.S.C.S's are associated with sport teams or have a strong interest in sport-specific training.