The Team Behind the Team!
Posted on Thu, Dec 01, 2011 @ 03:01 PM
Most people would recognize an athletic trainer if they saw them run out onto a sports field however, many people would most likely not know much about the profession and how important one can be to high school student athletes.
What is an Athletic Trainer
An athletic trainer (ATC) is a health care professional that works in various settings and assists individuals to prevent, treat and rehabilitate injuries. Athletic trainers collaborate with physicians to limit athletes’ time on the “sidelines” and optimize performance after injury. The field of athletic training includes, but is not limited to, prevention, diagnosis, intervention of emergency medicine, acute and chronic medical conditions as well as rehabilitation. Athletic trainers have either a 4-year bachelor's or 2 years master's degree from an accredited program. Athletic trainers are certified by the National Athletic Training Association and hold a state license in their state of practice. Common athletic training settings include high schools, physical therapy clinics, doctors’ offices, hospitals, industrial settings, orthopedic product development, military, performing arts, college and professional sports. ATC’s keep their knowledge current by participating in continuing education courses throughout the year.
Many times Athletic Trainers are confused with personal trainers. Although many athletic trainers are also personal trainers, they hold different roles in their respective fields. A personal trainer is someone who determines, monitors and adjusts an exercise program for an individual participating in a fitness setting.
Stress of High School Sports
High School sports in today’s culture place a lot of stress on student athletes. The students feel that they need to excel and an injury will slow down their acceleration process. At times an athletic trainer is making a split second decision on an athletes’ return to play status. This decision can change an athlete’s entire season and it is important for athletes to remember an ATC is always looking out for their well being. Unfortunately some media outlets attempt to make the high-pressure situation of sports more intense by applying stress to the already hard decision an athletic trainer has to make about an athlete's medical status. Because of an athletic trainer’s background and organized manner, they are able to manage their time wisely and handle the difficult situations along with the stress associated with them.
Need for Athletic Trainers
Although many high school athletic directors feel that it is important for their schools to have athletic trainers, it is sometime difficult to fit into the budget or convince school administrators of the school's/athletes' needs. When a cost to safety comparison is done in the long run it will be seen that having an athletic trainer present at practices and sporting events will provide a more cost effective solution for a school as opposed to the alternatives. An athletic trainer needs to work with the athletic director because they are a team and the first line of risk management for the student athletes. Working together, the two can determine areas of risk within emergency policies at the school and find areas of improvement for an overall goal of student athlete safety and championship level competition.
What ATC’s provide to Athletes
Athletic Trainers are in high schools and are there to attend to student athletes at the time of injury. They educate the students on their injury and what proper immediate care of their injury includes. If necessary, an Athletic Trainer can apply tape or a protective brace for an injury and advise athletes on assistive devices such as crutches.
Athletic trainers also attend sporting events and are the first to arrive at the scene of an injury. They are able to assess and triage the injury to the proper medical professional and will later collaborate in the athlete's care with the other health care practitioner. Athletic trainers can be the quick link to other medical professionals for their athletes because they are many times working under the supervision of physicians.
For many athletic trainers during the school year, being responsible for the care of athletes is their full time job. They schedule their office hours and practice coverage hours around what is going on at the high school and many times travel to away games when their schedule permits. Also during the school years many times you will find an athletic trainer teaching students in the classroom or out of their athletic training room or even on the field.
How parents, athletes and coaches can help
Everyone involved in high school athletics can be an advocate for bringing and keeping an athletic trainer at their school. Education on who and what an ATC can do for a school is important for all parties involved in high school athletics. It is important for everyone to know that athletic trainers are part of the team and are trying to get everyone back into the game.
For more information log into;
www.nata.org
http://www.bocatc.org