HOW TO HIRE · HEALTH & WELLBEING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a sports therapist in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A sports therapist in Ireland costs €50–€110 per session, typically around €70. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a sports therapist in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers sports therapist work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — injury Prevention Strategies — in addition to treatment, sports therapists provide advice on injury prevention strategies, including proper warm-up routines and lifestyle modifications.
- How does therapist's experience change the price?A more experienced professional charges more and usually works faster. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the treatment required change the price?The more of it there is, the longer the job runs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Manual Therapy Techniques — sports therapists often use manual therapy techniques such as massage and joint mobilization to alleviate pain and improve function — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a sports therapist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
- Who insures you, and what is the policy number?Expect professional indemnity insurance as well as public liability — ask for the insurer and the limit — assessment and Diagnosis — A sports therapist begins with a thorough assessment to understand the client's injury or condition.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No statutory register applies
No statutory register applies to this treatment in Ireland. The Department of Health's own position is that people who provide complementary therapies are not subject to professional statutory regulation, though consumer, competition, contract and criminal law still apply to them. CORU registers health and social care professions by protected title — dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, speech and language therapists and the rest — and this is not one of them, so nobody practising it can be 'CORU registered' and a claim to be is describing something that does not exist. There are voluntary registers run by professional bodies, and they are worth something: a body that can strike somebody off is a body with a complaints procedure. None of them is the law.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Professional indemnity insurance, the insurer's name and the limit — for a hands-on treatment this is the only recourse that exists; The qualification and who awarded it, by name — then look the awarding body up yourself rather than taking the certificate on the wall as the check; Membership of a professional body, and whether that body has a complaints procedure you could actually use; How many hours of training the qualification took, because in an unregistered field a weekend course and a three-year diploma carry the same word on the certificate; What the session includes, how long it is and what a cancellation costs, in writing before the first one; Garda vetting where the treatment is for a child or a vulnerable adult, which is a legal requirement for that work under the National Vetting Bureau Acts.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect professional indemnity insurance as well as public liability — ask for the insurer and the limit. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers sports therapist work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — injury Prevention Strategies — in addition to treatment, sports therapists provide advice on injury prevention strategies, including proper warm-up routines and lifestyle modifications.
A good answer: A more experienced professional charges more and usually works faster. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The more of it there is, the longer the job runs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Manual Therapy Techniques — sports therapists often use manual therapy techniques such as massage and joint mobilization to alleviate pain and improve function — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a sports therapist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance as well as public liability — ask for the insurer and the limit — assessment and Diagnosis — A sports therapist begins with a thorough assessment to understand the client's injury or condition.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the sports therapist starts, and an itemised invoice after — injury Prevention Strategies — therapists provide guidance on techniques and practices to minimise the risk of injuries during sports activities.
A good answer: VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately — injury Prevention Strategies — therapists provide guidance on techniques and practices to minimise the risk of injuries during sports activities.
Getting the quote right
- Therapist's experience — a more experienced professional charges more and usually works faster.
- Complexity of the treatment required — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs.
- Complexity of the injury — it has to be settled before anything can be ordered.
- Assessment and Diagnosis — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: therapist's experience — a more experienced professional charges more and usually works faster
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the treatment required — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the injury — it has to be settled before anything can be ordered
- A price for the sports therapist before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the sports therapist has begun
What a sports therapist costs: €50–€110 per session
The figures are for the job, per session, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Injury assessment and Rehabilitation program development each carry their own band. Sports Therapist price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Sports therapists near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstTherapist's experience — a more experienced professional charges more and usually works faster — that is what the sports therapist is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the treatment required — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfComplexity of the injury — it has to be settled before anything can be ordered — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherAssessment and Diagnosis — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the sports therapist is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, safety and hygiene practices should be observed, especially in a clinical setting.
- Assessment and Diagnosis
- A sports therapist begins with a thorough assessment to understand the client's injury or condition.
- Manual Therapy Techniques
- Sports therapists often use manual therapy techniques such as massage and joint mobilization to alleviate pain and improve function.
- Injury Prevention Strategies
- In addition to treatment, sports therapists provide advice on injury prevention strategies, including proper warm-up routines and lifestyle modifications.
- Injury Assessment
- This involves a comprehensive evaluation of your injury to determine its nature and extent, guiding your treatment plan.
- Manual Therapy
- This includes hands-on techniques such as massage and joint mobilisation to relieve pain and enhance recovery.
- Exercise Prescription
- Therapists design specific exercises aimed at improving strength, flexibility, and overall performance while preventing future injuries.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a sports therapist: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the therapist's experience, location, and the complexity of the treatment required. specialised therapists with advanced qualifications may charge higher rates.
A typical session lasts between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the treatment plan and the specific needs of the client. Initial assessments may take longer.
No, a referral is not typically required to see a sports therapist. However, if you have a specific medical condition, it may be beneficial to consult with your GP first.
Many sports therapists offer same-day appointments, especially in urgent cases. It’s best to contact the therapist directly to check their availability for emergency sessions.
Yes, many sports therapists offer package deals for multiple sessions or related services, which can provide convenience and potentially lower costs for clients. Regular follow-up sessions to monitor progress and adjust the treatment plan.
Sports therapists do not provide medical diagnoses or treatments for non-sport-related injuries. Additionally, they do not perform surgical procedures or prescribe medications.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in health & wellbeing
Sports therapists near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Department of Health — complementary therapies (updated 26 October 2020)
- CORU — public protection FAQs: which registers are open
- Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010, Schedule 1 — exempt activities
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — VAT rates
- Revenue — MASSAGE SERVICES ( Supply of ) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only