Qualifications
- BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy
- Member of The Society of Sports Therapists
- Certified Fitness Instructor Level 2
The Person:
“Outside of work, I love keeping fit and socialising. I am a keen runner, currently trying to build on my half marathon and marathon times for future events. I regularly attend circuit training, boxacise classes and swimming sessions as I like to keep a varied exercise programme and they are more enjoyable than running all the time!
I have a keen passion for most sports: netball, football and rugby, as well as Formula 1 (especially this season!). I love to socialise and enjoy going for dinner, particularly experiencing new restaurants.
After being injured in my County Netball days, I gained a great understanding of what it is like to be seriously injured and having to go through the rehabilitation stage back to functional fitness. I have undergone several operations myself and, although not desirable, I can relate my experience to my clients', some of whom undergo similar procedures.”
The Therapist:
Sophie graduated as a BSc (Hons) Sports Therapist from The University of Hertfordshire in 2009. Since then, she has been working full time as a Sports Therapist in both a clinical and sporting environment. At present, Sophie works in numerous settings. She works at Perfect Balance as well as her own clinic in Essex. She is the Lead Sports Therapist for Hoddesdon Town FC and she works weekly in season alongside UK Athletics at Lee Valley High Performance Centre, providing sports therapy to national and international athletes. She also works for Orion Harriers Athletics Club, primarily working with the youth squad, some of whom are currently National Champions in 1500m and Cross Country, as well as winners of the Mini London Marathon 2011.
During March–June 2011, Sophie worked across the UK on Challenge66, a national event whereby an Ultra Marathon runner, Andy McMenemy, completed 66 ultra marathons consecutively in the 66 official cities of the UK to establish a new Guinness World Record and to raise funds for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.
Sophie also has experience working in rugby at the IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 as a squad massage therapist for the Australian National Team. During the 2010–2011 season, she also worked for Hitchin RFC as the Youth and Colts Sports Therapist.
Sophie shares a real passion for working on endurance events for charity. She is currently providing sports therapy for The Sunshine Challenge, where, namely, Andy North is running, cycling and kayaking from Catterick Garrison to Gibraltar to raise funds for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the Forces Children’s Trust. Sophie has also worked for Oxfam Trailwalker UK 2011 and the London Marathon for the last four years, as well as the Great North Run and Royal Parks Half Marathon, providing much needed sports massage therapy.
Sophie treats every client’s needs as individual and specific. No one injury is the same and thus everybody needs that individual attention to regain full functional and sport-specific fitness. Sophie uses a variety of treatment modalities in order to achieve this success: rehabilitation programmes, electrotherapy, joint mobilisations and sports massage therapy. Sophie’s interests lie in running-specific sporting injuries and the biomechanics of running – how one can alter their running gait or running trainers to be advantageous to success, or the complete opposite, which can cause musculature weakness and pain. She thrives on trying to rectify these issues to allow the client to run pain free.
Sophie works as a Sports Therapist in Hatfield clinic. To book an appointment online with her, please visit our online booking page. You can also find out how we can help with rehabilitation or sports injuries in St Albans, or learn about what is happening in the world of healthcare.
Sophie Vowden practices at our clinic in:
Hatfield