National Athletic Training Month is held every March to offer awareness about Athletic Training as a profession. Thank you to all of our Athletic Trainers for your dedication and support. We are proud to have you on our team!
Raleigh Orthopaedic Athlete Trainer Helps Explain the Role of the Trainer
Written by: Rebecca Lucas, LAT, ATC, OTC at the Raleigh Orthopaedic Performance Center in Cary
March is National Athletic Training month, but what exactly is an athletic trainer anyway? Athletic Trainers are allied healthcare professionals who provide care for patients under the domains of Immediate and Emergency Care, injury and Illness Prevention and Wellness Promotion, Examination, Assessment and Diagnosis, and Therapeutic Intervention. They work under a physician and often collaborate with other medical professionals to help provide care. Traditionally, athletic trainers work with sports teams at high schools, colleges, and professional sports teams. However, there are many other settings athletic trainers can work also such as primary care clinics, the performing arts, the military, occupational health departments, youth sports leagues, orthopaedic clinics, and physical therapy clinics.
Athletic Trainers are sometimes confused with personal trainers but there are significant differences in terms of education and job requirements. Athletic Trainers have at least a bachelor’s degree and about 70% have a master’s degree. They must be nationally certified and state licensed (in 48 states) as well as maintaining 25 hours of continuing education every year.
Raleigh Orthopaedic utilizes Athletic Trainers in multiple different settings and each of these roles look slightly different. In clinic with the orthopaedic sports medicine physicians, your athletic trainer may fit your brace and teach how to walk with crutches. In therapy services, they may educate you on post-op care and teach therapeutic exercises to help restore function. In work conditioning it may be instructing proper lifting mechanics and ergonomics. And at community sporting events could be anything from splinting a fracture to diagnosing a concussion on the field. Whatever the setting you are in, your Athletic Trainer and Raleigh Orthopaedic are here for your orthopaedic needs and to get you back on the field.
About Rebecca Lucas, LAT, ATC, OTC:
Rebecca received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from High Point University in 2011. After graduation, she completed an Athletic Training Residency with the Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Teaching and Research Foundation in Illinois. After the residency program, she worked on staff with one of the sports medicine surgeons at Hinsdale Orthopaedic as a clinical and surgical assistant. She has been working with Raleigh Orthopaedic Performance Center since December 2013.