What comes to mind when you think of an “Athletic Therapist?” It's most likely someone who works mainly with professional athletes treating their injuries. While this is definitely a key role for some Athletic Therapists, many actually work in other areas of society. The need for someone who helps mitigate, assess and treat musculoskeletal injuries is not exclusive to pro athletes. Anyone in the general public can benefit from Athletic Therapy, especially those who engage in an active lifestyle, whether it be for work or pleasure.
Since June is National Athletic Therapy Month, we thought it was a great time to share some of the places where Athletic Therapists work that you might not know about!
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College and University Varsity Programs
Athletic Therapists work closely with college and university varsity programs to provide student-athletes with injury and rehabilitation services. They are the first to respond to on-field emergencies and provide immediate care, along with in-clinic rehabilitation to effectively treat athletes.
With student-athletes' well-being in mind, Athletic Therapists tailor treatments for each athlete’s needs, so they return safely to their sport in a timely manner. Athletic Therapists are responsible for a high standard of care and quality services while advocating for the athlete's health to provide them with the skills and knowledge needed to be successful throughout their athletic careers.
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First Responders & The Military
Athletic Therapists are generally the first line of support for first responders, in addition to acting as first responders for sports teams. Besides treating injuries, they also provide preventative exercise regimens for paramedics, firefighters, police, etc.
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) also developed Athletic Therapy as a trade path within its ranking due to the need for CAF members to stay healthy and able throughout all stages of their service.
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The Entertainment Industry
Within the entertainment industry there are a variety of areas where the need for peak performance demands the expertise of Athletic Therapists. They can be found working with anyone from Cirque du Soleil artists and dancers of the National Ballet of Canada to MMA and WWE fighters to contestants in reality tv shows like Dancing with the Stars or the Amazing Race.
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Industrial Institutions
Many Canadians are employed in labour-intensive industrial industries such as forestry, oil and gas, sheet metal work and other trades. This means that a large number of individuals are putting their bodies under immense amounts of stress on a daily basis including bending, lifting and other repetitive movements. These industrial workers can be prone to common injury due to the nature of their work and thus benefit from having an Athletic Therapist on hand for both injury risk reduction and treatment.
These 4 areas are of course not the only places Athletic Therapists work, but they are a few that you might not think of when initially considering the profession. If you’re looking for information on Athletic Therapy or perhaps even interested in becoming an Athletic Therapist, you can find more information at https://athletictherapy.org/en.
Don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram and follow our new Facebook and Linkedin pages as we continue to celebrate National Athletic Therapy month throughout June!