Athletic trainers promote sports safety
Kevin Maloney
Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: Sports
The National Athletic Trainers' Association has made the month of March the National Athletic Training Month with this year's theme "Sports Safety is a Team Effort."
The national association's dedication to the month will be represented on the Western Illinois University campus, as Western's Athletic Training Education Program coincides with the association's theme of sports safety. The goal of promoting the NATA's monthly theme is to increase awareness of safety in sports and educate the community about other groups and professionals involved in the sports safety team throughout the month.
Last Friday saw members of the Western program meet with Macomb Mayor Mick Wisslead to declare March as National Athletic Training Month.
"It is great to have the profession recognized and receive exposure," said Katie Hamilton, senior level athletic training student. "We cover all practices, competitions and tournaments for the sports teams, but not a lot of people know what exactly it is that we do for the teams."
Hamilton believes it is important that athletic trainers gain more recognition from those that are in some form involved with athletic trainers.
"Our profession can only be successful with the help of coaches, parents, equipment managers, physicians, physical therapists and teammates," Hamilton said. "The reinforcement of safety from these groups will help athletes avoid injuries."
For an athletic trainer to be certified, the athletic trainer must obtain a degree from an accredited athletic training curriculum and pass a national certification exam.
Certified athletic trainers work in various settings including colleges, high schools, professional sports, the military, hospitals, physicians' offices and various other industries and businesses as well. With these diverse settings, it is important that the athletic trainer develops a strong relationship with other groups that make up the sports safety team.
Each individual involved in the athlete's well-being plays a role in preventing the athlete from incurring an injury.
"A lot of the injuries I see in college and high school athletes are ones that could have been prevented if the athlete was taught proper mechanics and the importance of stretching," said Katie Rogers, junior level athletic training student. "Injuries are a reality of participating in physical activity, but there are so many ways to keep yourself healthy."
One such way to maintain a healthy lifestyle is to keep record of how old your running shoes are, as suggested by Rogers.
"If you don't change your shoes after 300-500 miles, you are at risk of injury," Rogers said. "It (the injury) may start as foot or lower leg pain, but if the problem goes untreated, the injury can affect your knees, hips and lower back as well."
Athletic training students at Western have worked alongside with the Leatherneck athletic programs and may be seen this semester performing their practice with this spring's baseball, softball and tennis programs.
The national association's dedication to the month will be represented on the Western Illinois University campus, as Western's Athletic Training Education Program coincides with the association's theme of sports safety. The goal of promoting the NATA's monthly theme is to increase awareness of safety in sports and educate the community about other groups and professionals involved in the sports safety team throughout the month.
Last Friday saw members of the Western program meet with Macomb Mayor Mick Wisslead to declare March as National Athletic Training Month.
"It is great to have the profession recognized and receive exposure," said Katie Hamilton, senior level athletic training student. "We cover all practices, competitions and tournaments for the sports teams, but not a lot of people know what exactly it is that we do for the teams."
Hamilton believes it is important that athletic trainers gain more recognition from those that are in some form involved with athletic trainers.
"Our profession can only be successful with the help of coaches, parents, equipment managers, physicians, physical therapists and teammates," Hamilton said. "The reinforcement of safety from these groups will help athletes avoid injuries."
For an athletic trainer to be certified, the athletic trainer must obtain a degree from an accredited athletic training curriculum and pass a national certification exam.
Certified athletic trainers work in various settings including colleges, high schools, professional sports, the military, hospitals, physicians' offices and various other industries and businesses as well. With these diverse settings, it is important that the athletic trainer develops a strong relationship with other groups that make up the sports safety team.
Each individual involved in the athlete's well-being plays a role in preventing the athlete from incurring an injury.
"A lot of the injuries I see in college and high school athletes are ones that could have been prevented if the athlete was taught proper mechanics and the importance of stretching," said Katie Rogers, junior level athletic training student. "Injuries are a reality of participating in physical activity, but there are so many ways to keep yourself healthy."
One such way to maintain a healthy lifestyle is to keep record of how old your running shoes are, as suggested by Rogers.
"If you don't change your shoes after 300-500 miles, you are at risk of injury," Rogers said. "It (the injury) may start as foot or lower leg pain, but if the problem goes untreated, the injury can affect your knees, hips and lower back as well."
Athletic training students at Western have worked alongside with the Leatherneck athletic programs and may be seen this semester performing their practice with this spring's baseball, softball and tennis programs.
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