Exploring interprofessional dynamics: Insights from physiotherapists and strength & conditioning coaches in Australian football

Abstract

Interprofessional collaboration is crucial in elite sports. While existing literature defines the roles of physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches, there is limited exploration of how these professionals collaborate within elite sports, particularly elite men's Australian Rules Football. The aim of this study was to explore the interprofessional dynamic between physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches. Thirteen practitioners (physiotherapists N = 7; strength and conditioning coaches N = 6) working with elite men's Australian football clubs participated in semi-structured interviews to explore interprofessional collaboration within this context. Two major themes (Playing your role and There is no ‘I’ in team) arose from the data. The first theme explains the unique responsibilities and overlapping roles of physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches in different aspects of athlete management. The second theme uncovered the significance of communication, collaborative decision-making, egos, mutual respect and their influence on the dynamic examined between physiotherapists and strength and conditioning within these environments. Findings align with key dimensions of Relational Coordination, including shared goals, shared knowledge, mutual respect, and problem-solving communication. These findings outline the interprofessional dynamic between physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches within an elite sporting environment. Moreover, these results can inform educational programs to improve interprofessional dynamics within sporting environments, offering a promising path towards enhancing athletic health and performance.