By Greg Eberle, Hopedale Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Certified Athletic Trainer
Athletic participation in the United States is on the rise. With over 21 million children and adolescents participating in youth sports, parents’ concerns are also rising. According to a September, 2014, survey of parents on youth sports conducted by the Aspen Institute Project Play, the two biggest concerns by parents are risk of injury (87.9%) and cost of play (70.3%). Understandably, these two areas of concern for sports participation directly relate to the role of a Certified Athletic Trainer.
To understand the role of a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), one needs to know what an ATC’s qualifications are and what they can provide. All ATCs are members of the National Athletic Trainers Association and are certified by the Board of Certification. Once certified, an athletic trainer is licensed to practice in their state as an allied health care professional under the direction of a physician. An ATC’s areas of competency include injury prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic instruction and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. (NATA)
Now that you understand what an ATC can do, it’s common to find him or her in an athletic healthcare setting, or assisting parents and sports organizations with prevention and treatment of sports injuries. Intervention can address the first parental concern which is risk of injury. When an athlete decides to participate in athletics, there needs to be a clear understanding by the parents that there is an Assumption of Risks for injury when playing sports. That risk factor can be reduced by involving parents, athletes, coaches and sports organizations in sports safety programming. The Certified Athletic Trainer leads programs which can educate individuals in the area of prevention such as emergency action plans, proper age-based strength and conditioning, hygiene, first-aid and CPR, recognition and care of sports injuries and general communications. Obtaining education from a trained medical professional in athletics with current and valid information is a valuable tool to create the safest environment possible for the athletes’ best sports experience. Expect the unexpected! Sport injuries do occur and knowing what to do is the first step.
The second concern of cost of play is becoming more of an issue these days. Parents invest literally thousands of dollars each year for their child to play sports. With equipment purchases, travel expenses, medical costs, training programs and other fees, it can become overwhelming. Approximately $935 million is spent in the U.S. each year on sports-related injuries in emergency rooms (NATA YSSA). Prevention and education are key to reducing these medical costs that burden families. A good step in prevention is getting a comprehensive sports physical. Evaluation of history of injuries, concussion baseline testing and a thorough examination are important in this process.
Knowing and working with a Certified Athletic Trainer is a valuable relationship in the athletic world. An ATC can educate parents and athletes on injury prevention and provide care which leads to helping families save money.
For more information on Athletic Training, contact the Hopedale Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine department at 309.449.4501 or visit www.HopedaleWC.com.
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