Sports therapy isn't just for top athletes. MAXINE GORDON drops in at a clinic in York to find out more.

UNA DIXON has a rigorous exercise and recovery regime. After a session in the pool she heads for the physio couch for a session with her sports therapist.

After a deep massage of her legs, back and shoulders, she feels brand new - and ready to hit the pool again.

Sports therapy is widely used by athletes to get their bodies back into shape for training and competition.

But Una is no athlete. At 86 years old, she is one of the regulars at York College's sports injury clinic, and the eldest client to boot.

The clinic operates two sessions each week that are open to the public - on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5pm-7pm.

Una's been coming for a few years now and says the treatments totally enhance her quality of life. She suffers from a range of aches and pains after fracturing her spine a few years ago, forcing her to walk with a stick.

She said: "Every time I come, I tell them where it is bad and after they have finished I don't have any pain or anything."

The clinic is staffed by students on the sports therapy courses run by York College - and always under the supervision of qualified tutors, such as Steven Ross.

Steven says the clinic relies on the public coming in with their problems so that students have real-life case studies.

He says: "The clinic gives students a chance to work with real injuries. We supervise them and see what skills they have and what they need to develop in the future."

Two young female York City footballers are also in the clinic for treatment. Nineteen-year-old Sammy Terry is nursing a knee injury and has come for some heat massage on her right quad.

First, the injured area is warmed up by strapping a heated "bag" wrapped in towels around her thigh. This is followed, Sammy says, by an "intense massage". By intense, she means the type that makes you grimace. The old adage: no gain without pain is fitting here. "It's painful, but good painful," says Sammy. "If it was just a gentle stroke then it would just be relaxing."

Ultimately, she says, it is worth it, because it speeds up recovery and gets her back on the pitch.

Chantel Padgham, 17, is another York City player nursing an injury - this time a fractured tibia, after getting "booted" in her right shin.

Her treatment plan has involved a set of exercises and regular massages to ease the pain of aching muscles. "I am doing a few exercises to get the strength back in my right leg," says Chantel.

As you might have garnered, sports massage is different from holistic massage used in relaxation treatments, such as aromatherapy. Tutor Steven explains: "Sports massage goes deeper to break down the scar tissue and get the muscles back to where they are able to perform again."

He says that the clinic is for anyone with pain - not just from a sports injury.

"We have some people who would not be considered active but may have an injury related to work; maybe they have stiff shoulders or back ache. They can get the same benefits from sports massage - there is something we can do for most people. We can help them live their day to day lives."

Clients need to book in for an appointment and on arrival have an initial consultation, which can last up to one hour. Follow-up treatments can take between 30 minutes to an hour.

Prices start at £8 and are a fraction of what you would pay in a private setting, because the clinic is in a training environment, says Steven. Nevertheless, he adds, treatments are thorough and professional, but might take a bit longer.

"There is always a tutor supervising," he says. "Students always discuss each plan with the tutor before applying any treatment to ensure that everything is safe and the right course of action is being taken."

Una can certainly vouch for the professionalism of the students. She said: "I like coming here and being with the young people. I am very impressed with the way they conduct themselves.

"All you seem to see in the news are the nasty things about young people; but here all I see is good manners which makes me wonder if they do a special course in etiquette."

Find out more or book an appointment with York College Sports Therapy by telephoning: 01904 770254.