Athletic Training

What is Athletic Training? Division of Sports Medicine that focuses on the prevention and care of athletic injuries. First to arrive & last to leave Long hours, great rewards Can fill many roles Responsible for making sure the athlete receives the care that they need in order to perform at their absolute best Part of the "Sports Medicine Team" -Average work day of a college athletic trainer    + Arrive before everyone else, work all day, leave after all athletes are gone - Different roles      + Nutritionist, equipment manager, travel agent, defacto parent

Sports Medicine Team Has to work together in order to function properly. Support the "team captain" Who's on the team? Physician, Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist, Coach, Athlete,  Community health care facility, Sports dietitian, sports psychologist, strength and conditioning coach, parents, school administration.

What Does it Take to be an Athletic Trainer? Be able to work in a variety of settings and under many different conditions. Deal with different weather conditions Be available around the clock Be prepared for an emergency at all times

Characteristics of an ATC Dependable Adaptable Problem solving/critical thinking skills Leadership Good judgement Sense of humor Good physical health Passionate about sports and others

ATC Curricula Assessment and Evaluation Acute Care General medical conditions and disabilities Pathology of major and minor injuries  Pharmacological aspects of injury and illness Nutritional aspects of injury and illness Therapeutic exercise Therapeutic modalities Risk management Health care admin Professional development and responsibilities Psychosocial intervention

Domains Prevention Clinical evaluation and diagnosis Immediate care Treatment, rehabilitation, and reconditioning Organization and administration Professional responsibility

Employers Professional and collegiate sports Secondary and intermediate schools Sports medicine clinics Hospital ER, rehab clinics, and wellness centers Occupational settings Fitness centers Physicians offices

Ideal Practices Orthopedics - the branch of medicine dealing with the correction of deformities of bones or muscles. Osteopathy - a branch of medical practice that emphasizes the treatment of medical disorders through the manipulation and massage of the bones, joints, and muscles. Family practice Primary care Occupational medicine Chirporacty Acupuncture

Other Related Skills Time management Communications Computer literacy Organization Amateur meteorology

Responsibilities Prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation Providing immediate care in the case of an emergency or an injury Providing necessary medical assistance to visiting teams Be skilled in taping, padding, and bracing Rehabilitation of injured athletes Clean, clean, clean Keep records of everything Be a patient advocate Follow all special instructions from a physician

Record Keeping Extremely important aspect of athletic training for 2 reasons Information contained in an injury log is vital in the prevention of athletic injuries Protect yourself from legal issues Assumption of risk – Acceptance of responsibility for the risks involved in a given activity Liability – legal responsibility to perform duties in a reasonable and prudent manner