If you enjoy going to games or watching sports, you may have seen athletic trainers rush to help injured athletes during a sporting event. However, the role and responsibilities of an athletic trainer go way beyond what meets the eye. An athletic trainer is responsible for the overall wellbeing of the athletes. In some cases, an athletic trainer may also have to fulfill various administrative responsibilities, including scheduling meetings, overlooking policy administration, making reports, etc. However, keep in mind that an athletic trainer is not the same as a personal trainer. Let’s take a look at what athletic training entails and how an athletic trainer can help you.
What is Athletic training?
Athletic training is recognized as an allied healthcare profession by multiple authorities including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). An athletic trainer is part of the healthcare team and their duties involve the prevention, examination, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries or various resultant medical conditions to make sure that the athletes enjoy optimal health and give their best performance in the ground.
The major difference between an athletic trainer and personal trainer lies in their education and skillset. The athletic training curriculum follows a model employed by medical professionals. In fact, athletic trainers can provide a number of services to all kinds of patients, not just athletes.
Do You Need an Athletic Trainer?
The only question remaining is whether you need a personal trainer or an athletic trainer. Well, the right choice of trainer depends on why you need a trainer in the first place. Take a look at what an athletic trainer can do for you to decide if you need one!
· Facilitate You in Preparing for the Season
If you are planning to participate in any sports, an athletic trainer can help you coordinate and appear in pre-participation physical exams. They help make sure you are medically fit and clear to participate in the season. This is the administrative side of the job. In case an abnormality is found in the exam results, they can also help you connect with the right specialist.
· Help You Get Back in the Game after an Injury
Anyone can get injured while playing or training for a game. What’s important is bouncing back from the injury. An athletic trainer can help you return to the ground. They can assist you with various exercises and help you walk through the rehabilitation process when required.
· Help Enhance Performance
Your athletic trainer can also help you perform better by preparing you for hot and humid conditions that you may encounter during the game. They may monitor you for signs of heat illnesses and help you avoid heat strokes.
· Assist with Concussion Evaluation and Management
Injuries can lead to concussion, which may require management or even treatment. An athletic trainer can help make sure you are good to return to the game.
· Help You Deal with a Sports Emergency
This is perhaps one of the most important responsibilities of an athletic trainer. They implement plans to help deal with a sports emergency in the best possible way. They also make sure that the right medical equipment is available to deal with an emergency.
The Bottom Line
While an athletic trainer works to prevent or help recover an injury, a personal trainer is more focused on improving the general fitness of the athlete. So, if you have a big game coming up, it is best to consult an athletic trainer. If you are on a team, it is likely your sponsors already have an athletic trainer on board. On the other hand, if you need someone to help improve your workout routine, provide healthy lifestyle information, and develop training programs to help you achieve your fitness goals, a personal trainer is a more viable option for you.