Who are we

STaR Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation (starinjuries) was established in 2001.

We are a friendly, local service for people who require assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. The clinic in Rayleigh is run by the founder, Michael Cole.

Michael Cole

Michael is a Graduate Sports & Exercise Therapist who, over the past 18 years, has treated many people, from amateur sports players to elite athletes, and from non-exercising individuals to the occupationally injured or in pain.

Young or elderly, fit or sedentary, all types of patients have benefited from Michael's expert ability to evaluate the 'Why?' of your condition and implement the 'How?' of helping you get better.

Michael has been the featured Graduate Sports Therapist on both careers-in-sport.co.uk and prospects.ac.uk.

Michael loves being settled in the Rayleigh location but has enjoyed experience in many countries and with patients from a wide variety of backgrounds, including:

  • World-Record holders and Olympic medallists
  • Professional football (including Queens Park Rangers FC)
  • British Swimming (a role which has seen him be selected for Team GBR over two Olympic cycles, travelling to 11 countries as Team Sports Therapist - including the 2011 World Open Water Swimming Championships and 2012 World Short Course Swimming Championships)
  • Consultation by many companies, including Sports on Screen (and for productions with Nike, Samsung, Sky One, Sky Sports and Budweiser)
  • Office workers, labourers and many other backgrounds

Michael continues to pursue academic qualifications, practical experience and professional development, embarking on Doctoral studies and having to date achieved numerous qualifications including but not limited to:

  • PhD (ongoing, at the University of East London)
  • PGDip (Loughborough University, 2012)
  • PGC(H)E (Essex University, 2007)
  • BSc (Hons) (London Metropolitan University, 2001)
  • Diploma ST (University of North London, 1999)

In addition to clinical practice, Michael guides and mentors several other physical therapists n the uK, and has many years experience in lecturing. As a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Senior Lecturer at the University of East London, he has clinical interests in the prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries, and equity in healthcare education. Michael was responsible for the design, validation and leadership of the BSc Sports Therapy programmes, leading them to 100% Satisfaction in the National Student Survey (NSS), founding the Sports Transition into Employment Programme (STEP), and co-founding the Body Equality in Athletic Therapies (BEAT) group. Michael has been nominated for numerous awards, and was awarded 'Tutor of the Year' in 2018.

Other notable presentations include the BASEM Annual Conference (twice, in 2013 and 2018), a role on the Communications Group for The Society of Sports Therapists (the leading body for Sports Therapy in the UK) and Chair of the 2015 Sports Therapy Employability Programme (STEP) Conference.

Michael also founded and co-manages Aid First Training Ltd and Sports Medicine on Screen, loves squash, tennis, running, football and being an equal co-parenting single father to his three wonderful children.