It’s about helping athletes get back on their feet … and more

Athletic training programs are special courses for trainers and health care professionals who assist doctors in helping athletes prevent and overcome injuries suffered in the course of their sports activities. However, athletic trainers also work with non-athletes who are physically active. More than half of athletic trainers work with people of all ages outside of athletic environments.

With their special expertise, athletic trainers work as extensions of doctors in emergency rooms, urgent care centers, military hospitals, physical therapy clinics and anywhere that people require specialized medical assistance. However, it is in the field of sports that the special skills of athletic trainers have been recognized. The extreme physical demands on athletes have made athletic trainers an invaluable part of any sports organization.

Athletic trainers are regulated, qualified health professionals. In order to practice, an athletic trainer must possess a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an accredited university either in athletic training or a related discipline with a major in athletic training.  Almost 70% of athletic trainers hold Master’s or Doctoral degrees in clinical athletic training, education, exercise physiology or health care administration. Graduates of athletic training programs must be certified by the Board of Certification, Inc. after passing examinations to qualify them as athletic trainers. Continuing education and strict adherence to professional standards are required to retain certification as a professional athletic trainer.

Recognized as qualified health care professionals like physical therapists, athletic trainers are licensed under the laws of most states in the USA. They practice under the control of physicians and are subject to the rules and regulations of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). Athletic trainers have been part of the American Medical Association’s directory for years and they are endorsed by mainline medical associations like the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine.

Because of their education, training and experience, athletic trainers function effectively in demanding environments. In rural and medically-deprived areas, athletic trainers have shown themselves to be creative and flexible providers of health care services. Research has shown that care provided by athletic trainers compares favorably with that provided by physical therapists in terms of results and patient satisfaction.

The importance of athletic training programs, therefore, lies in widening health care facilities and making qualified health services available to more people other than athletes.