Athletic Trainer

Who is an athletic trainer?

Athletic trainers are recognized and hired as health professionals. They play a very important role in the life of athletes and field events of all levels in their capacity to prevent, assess, and help rehabilitate muscular or skeletal injuries that may be the result of injury on the filed. It is observed that these professionals are usually the first heath care providers that interact with the athletes injured. This proximity adds to their responsibility to efficiently diagnose and evaluate the type and extent of injury. Athletic trainers function differently from fitness or personal trainers. The latter are not health care workers. They train individuals to become physically fit.

What role do the athletic trainers play on field?

Athletic trainers empower the athletes to prevent injuries via the training provided on the proper use of equipment and application of protective devices. The injury prevention applications include the extensive use of tape or bandages and braces, depending on the sport. The injury prevention tutoring also includes education on what to avoid and thus reduce the risk of injury. These professionals operate in sync with physicians and the extent of the medical supervision largely depends on the club, company or individual athlete they work for. The specific injury treatment options and evaluations are directed in consultation with a physician. Most athletic trainers also take on administrative responsibilities like setting or taking a call on budget, equipment purchase and implementation of various sport related policies.

The athlete-athletic trainer relationship:

The athletic trainer is required to frequently interact with physicians and athletes, to administer timely treatments and ensure the workability of the designed rehabilitation programs and injury-preventive practices. The interaction between the athletic trainer and the athlete borders around health-related issues and mostly indoors, working with medical equipment. Outdoors, the trainers are expected to ensure that according to the sport or event, they are able to walk, run, crouch, stoop, kneel or crawl, along with the athlete. Athletic trainers are also expected to travel with the sportsman, as and when required.

Non-sport athletic trainers:

The type of schedule followed and the interaction between the athletic coach and the athlete vary by the work setting. The athletic trainers in non-sport settings follow a routine that requires them to interact with the athlete and health professionals for a fixed number of hours per week, with nights and the weekends off. Athletic trainers are also employed in hospitals and clinics s part of the physiotherapy program and even spend their time as part of special ‘outreach’ programs. Outreach programs include training, delivering motivational talks at high schools and colleges and within commercial businesses in the capacity of a ‘fitness guide’.

High school athletic trainers:

Athletic trainers are expected to be present for team practices and events, even if they are scheduled for the evenings or on weekends. In high schools, the athletic trainers contribute to the theory and practical education of effective field training and health care. While in some colleges and universities, the trainers work with any one team, there are some athletic trainers in smaller colleges and universities that often work with several teams too. These professionals are an indispensable part of the high school and college training camps and competitions. The job involves a lot of stress and the trainers are responsible for the health and in a way, also for the careers of their clients. They work under pressure of the desired ‘win’ that is typical of competition.

Qualifications for an athletic trainer:

Ideally, an athletic trainer should have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree. They can also pursue a Master’s or Doctoral Degree in Athletic Training. There are many states that demand a license or some form of registration too. The Bachelor’s degree must be from an accredited university. There are a number of accredited programs available today, online and on campus. These programs educate the interested candidates in classroom and clinical settings. The curriculum includes the study of science and health-related courses and an in-depth understanding of the human anatomy, physiology and biomechanics.