Athletic Trainers: The First Wave in Injury Treatment

This week we're covering a licensed healthcare profession that is often confused with an unregulated fitness occupation: Athletic Trainers (not to be mistaken for Personal/Fitness Trainers). Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, & treating muscle & bone injuries & illnesses. These professionals, who numbered approximately 25,400 in the US as of 2014, work in a wide variety of environments to help active & at-risk individuals stay healthy. Athletic trainers work in schools, hospitals, fitness & sports centers, rehab centers, senior living centers, & even as specialists for professional sports teams!

Athletic trainers work with people of all ages & skill levels, from young children to soldiers, police, & professional athletes. Athletic trainers are often the first healthcare professionals on the scene when somebody is injured in an active or athletic environment, & must be trained to provide immediate care while EMTs, doctors, or other health personnel arrive. They work under the direction of a licensed physician & with a team of other healthcare providers to treat patients & evaluate their treatment options. Some athletic trainers have administrative responsibilities as well, like reviewing budgets with an athletic director, working with purchasing or making policies

& procedures. Athletic trainers are frequently called upon to create programs that comply with Federal & state regulations, such as laws surrounding young athletes & concussions. Athletic trainers often work outdoors in many different weather situations, so being adaptable is a key skill. Nearly all states require athletic trainers to be licensed, which generally consists of degree requirements along with continuing education & the passing of an exam.

If you want to learn more about Athletic Trainers & how they impact society, check out our infographic below. We will be posting tons of athletic trainer based content all week on our Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram pages, so be sure to visit them as well to find out all you need to know about these dedicated professionals!

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Images courtesy of Shutterstock.