What is an Athletic Trainer and their role in society

16 November,2021 | By Brainwonders

What is an Athletic Trainer

Athletic trainers (ATs) are multi-skilled health care professionals that provide service or treatment under the guidance of or in conjunction with a physician, in line with their education, training, and state statutes, rules, and regulations. As members of the health care team, athletic trainers provide primary care, injury and disease prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical problems.

The prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of all forms of injuries and medical conditions, whether they be sudden, acute, or chronic, are all covered by athletic training.

Personal trainers and athletic trainers are sometimes confused. An athletic trainer and a personal trainer, on the other hand, have significantly different educations, skill sets, employment requirements, and patients. The athletic training academic curriculum and clinical training both follow the medical model. Athletic trainers must get a bachelor's or master's degree, with a master's degree accounting for 70% of ATs.

Work environments for athletic trainers can include high schools, colleges, universities, professional sports teams, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, physicians' offices, corporate and industrial institutions, the military, and the performing arts. Regardless of their practice setting, athletic trainers practise athletic training (or provide athletic training services) according to their education and state practise act.

Athletic Trainers and prevention of injury and disease as their role in society:

This blog identifies some of the abilities that athletic trainers utilise regularly to prevent injury and disease as their role in society:

1. Examine patients or customers

Examine patients or customers to look for potential injuries or illnesses, as well as risk factors that could put them at risk of injury or sickness. These processes include the items mentioned below, however, they are not limited to them:

Physical examinations before participation
Musculoskeletal flexibility evaluation
Muscular strength and endurance evaluation
Cardiovascular fitness evaluation
Postural and ergonomic evaluation, and
Body composition evaluation

2. Gather and assess environmental

Gather and assess environmental (e.g., ambient temperature, relative humidity, heat index, lightning) and patient/client data to make appropriate recommendations for patient or client safety and activity continuation or suspension (e.g., hydration status).

3. Emphasize the need for acclimatisation

Emphasize the need for acclimatisation and hydration and electrolyte balance in the prevention of heart disease to patients, clients, coaches, and parents.

4. Create and implement emergency

Create and implement emergency action plans to ensure that medical workers are ready in the event of an emergency.

5. To lower the risk of injury and sickness,

To lower the risk of injury and sickness, create and implement conditioning programmes (flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular fitness).

6. Inspect facilities

Inspect facilities to ensure that they are safe, sanitary and that equipment is in good working order.

7. Patients and clients

Patients and clients should be educated and advised on the nutritional elements of physical activity. Because proper nutrition can help patients or clients maintain a healthy lifestyle, the athletic trainer is frequently the first point of contact for active patients/clients with nutritional questions. In terms of nutrition, athletic trainers should:

Educate patients or clients on dietary requirements based on the amount and type of activity they are doing.
Explain how carbs, proteins, lipids, minerals, vitamins, fluids, and electrolytes play different roles in an active person's diet.
Refer patients or clients to a qualified medical specialist for a nutritional examination or review.
Identify and explain illnesses linked to poor nutrition, then counsel patients/clients or refer them to another medical professional as needed.
Educate patients or clients about the need for good nutrition before, during, and after physical activity.
Educate patients or clients on ergogenic aids and other performance-enhancing substances, as well as the FDA's dietary product regulations.
Educate patients or clients about weight loss/gain, weight-control approaches, and performance-enhancing strategies.
Inform people about the dangers of substance addiction (social or performance-enhancing) or poor eating habits.

8. To reduce the risk of damage

To reduce the risk of damage or re-injury, choose, apply, evaluate, and modify preventive and protective equipment as well as other specialised devices for patients/clients.