Technological University of the Shannon – Athlone Campus

Athlone, Co Westmeath,Ireland

At a Glance

The Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy program in TUS is an accredited program by ARTI.
We have small class sizes that allow for a very student-centred approach to teaching and learning.
As a program, we encourage an applied theory to practice translation of knowledge and learning and embed a mix of practical and theoretical elements to all of our modules.
We have state-of-the art equipment and teaching spaces including two Rehabilitation labs, Sports Science Lab, High Performance Gym, Biomechanics Lab and the International Arena.
In TUS, we aim to facilitate our athletic therapy students to become competent, independent clinical practitioners, enabling lifelong learning skills, required within the Athletic Therapy profession.

Education

The BSc (Hons) Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy is a four-year undergraduate degree. It is accredited by Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland, which is the national governing body for Athletic Therapists in Ireland. Since its inception in 2012, the Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy program here in TUS has continued to grow in line with the sporting and healthcare demands currently seen in Ireland and globally.

Athletic Therapists specialise in the prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and management of all musculoskeletal injuries pertaining to physical, sporting and occupational activities. Graduates of our program in TUS have a diverse range of clinical skills and competencies evident through the range of modules undertaken across their 4 years of study, such as Anatomy, Physiology, Screening and Injury Prevention, Sport and Exercise Psychology, Biomechanics, Performance Testing, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Sport Nutrition, Athletic Taping and Strapping, Research Methods, Rehabilitation, Diagnostic Imaging, Therapeutic modalities, Research Project and Clinical Reasoning Capstone.

In addition to these modules, our students become certified Emergency First Responders and Cardiac First Responders by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care council of Ireland (PHECC) which allows them to provide emergency care to all, including patients and collegiate students and pitch-side during training and match day events.

As part of our program, we have a strong commitment to embed theory into practice through a mix of both theoretical and practical hands-on skills and competencies into all our modules. This is particularly evident in every year of our program, where students are exposed to the profession of Athletic Therapy and the skillsets needed to become a Certified Athletic Therapist. This starts in year 1, where students have the opportunity to become involved in the pre-participation screening of injuries in various teams including collegiate and professional teams. In Year 2, students are introduced to clinical practice through the student led START clinic and practical placements. In Year 3, students develop applied skills thereby creating the foundation pillars for the clinical practice placement which takes place in the first semester in Year 4. In the first semester of Year 4, students complete their clinical immersive professional work placement module by undertaking four to five months of experience working full-time in a clinical and field-based setting in Ireland or abroad, including athletic therapy/training facilities in American and Canadian universities, professional and amateur sports internationally and nationally. In the final year, the emphasis is on advanced clinical and rehabilitation techniques and a clinical reasoning capstone module, designed to assimilate all of the skills acquired by the student throughout the four years of the course, preparing them for the profession of athletic therapy and employment as a professional clinical practitioner.

Upon successful completion of the program in TUS, our graduates can contest the ARTI certification exam, allowing them to become Certified Athletic Therapists, working a variety of different settings both here in Ireland and globally.

More Info

Faculty

Dr. Aoife Lane

Ms. Lynn Allen

Ms Anna Postawa

Ms Marese Gilhooly

Mr Michael Donohoe

Staff Team

The AT program in TUS is led by Dr Aoife Lane, Head of Department of Sport and Health Sciences in TUS Athlone. Aoife has a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from UL, a Masters in Health Promotion in NUI Galway and completed her PhD studies on the Public Health Impact of the Women’s Mini Marathon in Waterford Institute of Technology in 2011. Aoife’s research focuses on sport, health and exercise in women and girls, working with partners internal and external to TUS. Aoife is lead of the SHE Research Centre and has lectured for 13 years in the area of physical activity and research. Aoife is a founder of the Women’s Gaelic Players Association and previous chair of the Gaelic Games Sports Science Working Group, who have produced a Sports Science Framework for Gaelic Games. Aoife is a member of Sport Ireland’s Women in Sport, and Research and Participation Sub Committees. Aoife has a particular interest in addressing the gender data gap in sports science and health research. Aoife regularly attends conferences and events representing TUS Athlone, the Department of Sport and Health Sciences, and SHE Research.

Ms Lynn Allen is the Programme Co-ordinator, Lecturer and Placement Co-ordinator on the BSc in Athletic & Rehabilitation Therapy. Lynn has a BSc in Sport Rehabilitation and Athletic Therapy from SETU, a Masters in Exercise Physiology from Trinity College Dublin. Lynn is currently undertaking her Professional Doctorate in Elite Performance (Sports) in Dublin City University, examining metacognition in Athletic Therapy Education. Lynn has also completed her Level 9 Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning from TUS. Lynn lectures on modules such as Anatomy 1, Musculoskeletal Injuries 1, Fundamental Rehabilitation Skills, Legal and Ethical Issues in Sport and Medical Conditions in Sport. Lynn is a Certified Athletic Therapist and a member of Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland (ARTI) with over 10 years clinical and academic experience. Lynn is the President of ARTI since September 2022, having previously sat on the board and acted as Vice Secretary and Ethics Chair from 2018. Lynn is also Vice Chair of the Education and Research Committee for the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy. Lynn currently sits on the Annual Scientific Committee for the Faculty of Sport Medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, responsible for organizing their annual conferences. Lynn’s research interests include athletic therapy education, metacognition, clinical reasoning skills, reflective practice and psychology of sport injuries.

Ms Anna Postawa is the Programme Co-ordinator and Lecturer on BSc in Athletic & Rehabilitation Therapy. Anna has a BSc in Physiotherapy from Academy of Applied Sciences in Tarnow, Poland, and MSc in Physiotherapy from University School of Physical Education in Krakow, Poland.

Anna lectures on upper limb and spine injuries as well as the use of therapeutic modalities, including joint mobilisations, soft tissue techniques and electrotherapy. Anna also delivers a final-year, Clinical Reasoning Capstone module which emphasises the role of biopsychosocial approach in clinical and therapeutic reasoning, as well as prepares the students for their external professional certification exam. Anna has completed a Certificate in Teaching and Learning at TUS Midlands and is currently undertaking a Professional Coaching Certification at International Coach Academy, accredited by the International Coaching Federation. On completion of this certification, Anna aims to support athletic therapy students and early career clinicians through delivery of coaching and mentoring sessions. Anna is also a Professional Doctorate candidate at Dublin City University, investigating self-efficacy in concussion assessment and management among Irish clinicians and athletic therapy students. Among her other research interest are professional confidence, mindset and emotional intelligence, and their impact on education and clinical practice. Anna is a Member of Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and Member of CORU Physiotherapist Registration Board, with over 10 years of clinical experience.

Ms Marese Gilhooly is a Lecturer on the BSc (Hons) in Athletic and Rehabilitation Therapy. Marese has a BSc in Physiotherapy from Trinity College Dublin, MSc in Manipulative Therapy from Coventry University in UK and MSc in Medical Science from University of Galway. Marese has completed her PG Diploma in Teaching, Learning and Assessment in TUS. Marese lectures on anatomy and injuries of the upper limb, head, thorax, abdomen and spine, diagnostic imaging and strapping and taping while also supervising students in the student led clinic (START clinic). Currently, Marese is a PhD candidate at the University of Limerick, investigating injury epidemiology and surveillance practices in Elite Adult female Gaelic team sports. Marese is a Member of Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and of CORU Physiotherapist Registration Board with many years of clinical experience in public and private practice and working with sports teams. She has also completed the Aurora leadership development programme for women in higher education and is a member of the research ethics committee of TUS, Athlone campus.

Mr Michael Donohoe is the Clinic/Internal Placement Co-Ordinator and Lecturer on BSc (Hons) in Athletic & Rehabilitation Therapy. Michael has a BSc in Athletic Therapy and Training from DCU and an MSc by Research from TUS. Michael lectures on Rehabilitation, Student-Led Clinics, and Anatomy modules. Michael’s research interests include rehabilitation and return to play guidelines. He has expensive clinical experience with athletic populations as previous owner of Athlone Sports Injury Clinic. He has primarily worked within rugby union as Club Athletic Therapist for Buccaneers RFC along with several years in Connacht Rugby’s Age Grade Programme. Michael is a Certified Athletic Therapist (CAT) and previously held the roles of board member and treasurer for ARTI.

Facilities

Our Department has;

• Over 300 undergraduate students registered across five undergraduate programmes

• 22 full time staff including lecturers, technical and support staff

• 25 PhD students undertaking projects in the SHE Research Centre

In TUS, we have state-of-the art equipment and teaching spaces including two Rehabilitation Labs, Sports Science Lab, High Performance Gym, Nutrition Lab, Biomechanics Lab and the International Arena for teaching and learning.

The International Arena has hosted many international athletics meets and has the following facilities: 6 x lane 200 metre indoor track, 8 x lane 60 metre sprint track, 4 x lane warm up track, 2x long jump pits, 1x pole vault area and equipment, 1x shot putt area & shot putts, 1 x high jump area, Track hurdles. The TUS Athlone Campus outdoor track also contains the following: 8 x 400 metre lane outdoor track, Shot putt area, Long Jump pits x 2, High Jump area x 2, Infield warm up area.

Several software, such as Nutritics, Vicon Motion Analysis, Dart"sh and Forcedecks are used to deliver content on modules such as Rehabilitation, Performance Analysis, Biomechanics and Strength and Conditioning.

Currently, we have a new state of art STEM building under construction, which is due to open in 2025. This building will house many of our department’s teaching laboratories, including two rehabilitation clinical rooms, bespoke sport science lab and biomechanics lab, including ED Mocap and inground force platforms for gait analysis.

News & Achievements

Groundbreaking Resources
- In an historic collaboration, the Camogie Association and Ladies Gaelic Football Association have joined forces with SHE Research at TUS to introduce pioneering resources aimed at supporting and empowering female athletes in Camogie and Ladies’ Gaelic Football.
Women in Sport Science
- A novel publication titled “Women in Sports Science: A Profile of Leading Irish Researchers” launches today (Friday, April 19, 2024), aiming to shine a light on the achievements of female researchers in sports science and narrow the gender gap in sports science research, a traditionally male-dominated field.
Inactivity in Young People Research
- A ground-breaking pan-European initiative spearheaded by the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) is set to uncover the root causes of physical inactivity in young people.
Knowledge of Menstrual Cycle Research
- A study conducted by Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) in partnership with Offaly Sports Partnership has revealed a significant gap in coaches’ understanding of the menstrual cycle and impacts on female athlete performance.
Gender Equality in Gaelic Games
- Recommendations include prioritising female representation to tackle gender equality in Gaelic Games

Student Spotlight

Robert Hession

Year 4 Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Student

Personal Bio:

I developed an interest in this field of study from personal experience with various injuries throughout my sporting life and from coaching athletes and individuals in a gym setting. I really enjoyed learning how to rehabilitate my own injuries from muscles strains to ligament sprains. My physiotherapist recommended TUS and after attending the open day I was happy to put in my application.

Why you love TUS:

My favourite modules have been Musculoskeletal Injuries especially where you get an opportunity to put practical skills to use. I also enjoyed Performance Testing; it was great to be able to learn how to test athletes for their sport and training.

My Year 4 clinical immersive placement is with a multidisciplinary team including physiotherapists and athletic therapists in Galway.

As part of my ongoing clinical and pitch-side placements, so far, I have helped with rugby and football matches and carried out sports massage for the players. I also observed various treatments of hamstring strains, ankle ligament sprains, quadricep contusions, and MCL rehabilitation. It’s great to get real life experience particularly in a match day environment and seeing how quick and confident you need to be with your on-field diagnosis.

After college I hope to be a practicing Certified Athletic Therapist and eventually open my own clinic/gym so I can guide athletes through the entire process of rehab as well as their strength and conditioning for sport.

Home - SHE Research

The SHE Research Centre is an affiliate of the Department of Sport and Health Sciences in TUS Athlone. The mission of SHE Research is to bridge the gender data gap in sport, health and exercise science research across three pillars of activity; Sport Performance, Exercise and Health and Nutrition and Health. Each of these are led by Primary Investigator’s with expertise in their discipline, and included members of the Department who are actively researching independently, and through PhD students. The principles of SHE include equality, collaboration, dissemination and prioritisation of women in research projects. Equality is something that is embedded across our teaching and learning as well as research, as we endeavour to produce graduates who will contribute positively to society. SHE has several partners and mentors who support and collaborate on research projects. Finally, dissemination is a valued element of SHE, through peer reviewed academic publications and public facing outputs. The latter include policy briefs, female athlete education, reports and micro-credential offerings. SHE also supports wider engagement in the community, school settings and in sport contexts endorsing bespoke events such as an annual Science Week Sports Science: Females in Focus initiative.