Physiotherapy students again at CLASH ROYALE Arctic Open 2024

The tournament took place in Myyrmäki, Vantaa at Energia Arena from 8 to 13 October 2024. Of Arcada's physiotherapy students, 33 second- and third-year students were on site together with three senior lecturers.

The role of a physiotherapist at sport events

Physiotherapy students took on the role of on-site physiotherapists and worked diligently to provide immediate care, prevent injuries, support recovery and ensure physical well-being throughout the competition. They worked in a specific area, known as the " Warm-Up and Recovery area", which was aimed at players and officials who were looking for professional help.

For the students, participation was a learning experience where they had great opportunities to practice their knowledge and skills to make decisions and act in an environment consisting of top athletes. Also, the opportunity to see and work "backstage" in such a large event, and see what it means, gave many new lessons.

"Participating in the Arctic Open was a great opportunity for hands-on learning and gave a unique insight into the work behind the scenes of a major competition. During the event, I gained a deeper understanding of how important recovery is to maintain performance, and I also had the privilege of talking to physiotherapists from the Danish and Japanese teams, which was very educational. Only afterwards did I realize how famous and skilled several of the people I got to treat really were, which made the experience even more memorable." – Elin Högback-

"Attending the event was educational and gave us hands-on experience in mobilizing joints, massaging and taping participants, giving us a good chance to apply and develop the skills we learned during the training. It was also interesting to follow the matches and see how the athletes prepared for their games, as well as how the preparation and recovery varied between players. It gave an insight into how varied training and recovery are between different countries for athletes in the same sport. It was a rewarding experience that we hope continues to allow more students to practice their skills." – Amanda Bruce-

As a senior lecturer and degree programme director of education for physiotherapy students, I could proudly see and follow how the students took responsibility and were prepared to act on any task that came their way. Although there was some nervousness in the beginning whether their knowledge would be sufficient to handle these top athletes, they noticed that they had the skills to quickly assess the need and take appropriate action

Praise from participants and organizers

The efforts of the physiotherapy students did not go unnoticed. Both the athletes and the organizers expressed their gratitude for the outstanding support that Arcada's students gave. The area and the activities were highly appreciated among the participants. "Recovery Room” received a lot of praise and only positive feedback from the players. Many players also mentioned that they had not encountered similar events at the other tournaments. The partners who lent the equipment to the event also expressed their gratitude for how well the students shouldered the responsibility.

With finality in hand after the tournament, we can start preparing for next year's HSBC BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament with peace of mind and prepare the student groups that are in the turn to once again take part in this learning situation.

Text and pictures: Joachim Ring, Degree Programme Director, Physiotherapy