Have you ever wondered what is involved in the Athletic Therapist profession or what draws Athletic Therapists to it? We have the answers you’ve been looking for! We reached out to some of our CATA Certified Athletic Therapists to give you more information about Athletic Therapy practices and its benefits. After all, Athletic Therapy is for everyone!
Throughout this blog, we hope to share educational insights and knowledge about Athletic Therapy from a Certified Athletic Therapist’s perspective.
Who are Certified Athletic Therapists?
We are specialists in orthopedic assessment and rehabilitation. We focus on injury prevention, understanding the intricacies of injury mechanisms, and the importance of assessing all variables that could cause an injury. We follow a “find the cause and treat the cause”” method of evaluation to ensure an individualized treatment approach for every patient.
What do you love the most about Athletic Therapy?
There’s a wealth of knowledge in the Athletic Therapy programs that allow students to develop into outstanding graduates and CAT(C)s. In the field and clinical practice, we love that we are able to see injury even before it happens, take care of the athlete on the field, determine if it will be safe for them to return to play at that time or if clinical follow up is necessary. Best of all, we love seeing an athlete or anyone who has sustained an injury return to their sport or activities that they love. It’s extremely rewarding!
What are some of the common injuries you treat?
In three easy words, it's back, knees, and shoulders. If we want to get specific there is a whole list of injuries that we tend to including concussions, ACL ruptures, post-operative repairs, MCL sprains, meniscus tears, ankle sprains, carpal tunnel syndrome and shoulder impingement to name a few.
Remember, Athletic Therapy is for everyone! We treat musculoskeletal injuries that include the muscle, bones, and joints, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a Certified Athletic Therapist if you’re suffering from a related injury!
What is an exercise that causes people to sustain the most injury and how could they prevent it?
Our focus as Certified Athletic Therapists is to help reduce the risk of injury We start with educating others how to be mindful of their bodies when conducting all exercises; however, a lot of the injuries we see include:
- Lifting - This is due to poor mechanics, so in order to help prevent lift injuries, it’s important to warm up and stretch and gradually build your strength for a strong foundation. Disc herniation is actually one of the most common injuries we see that can be prevented by proper lifting mechanics and ensuring a strong core.
- Repetitive stress injuries - Those are more common in the joints due to poor lifting or poor movement mechanics. You have to be aware of your body movement throughout your exercises.
- Running - This is caused by poor footwear or history of a previous or lingering injury that was not addressed properly. Make sure you have the right shoes and tend to injuries immediately so they don’t worsen.
What injuries have increased due to working from home and how to prevent them?
Working from home has led to a surge in injuries thanks to imperfect work stations. If your home office isn’t set up properly, it can result in poor posture and inferior ergonomics that increase neck and back injuries, or can cause carpal tunnel and thoracic outlet syndromes. Having a proper desk and tech set up along with recognizing the importance of getting up to move your body every 15-20 minutes is critical to prevent these repetitive stress injuries.
How do you evaluate a patient’s readiness to resume an activity according to their injury?
As we try to return our patients to their active lifestyle as efficiently as possible, we want to ensure it’s a safe return too. In order to do so, we break down the specific skills they require for their activity and take a gradual approach to recovery. We use methods such as prophylactic bracing and taping and educate our patients about their injury to recognize early warning signs if the injury returns.
We also always encourage self-care and injury management and recovery, and we empower our patients by giving them home programs for an opportunity to learn how to best take care of their bodies.
When do you think someone should see a Certified Athletic Therapist?
Athletic Therapy is for anyone and everyone who is looking for advice and guidance or treatment for an injury or achieving better performance. Whether it’s prevention, assessment, or rehabilitation, we will work alongside you to help you return to the active lifestyle you love!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Certified Athletic Therapist for their advice as we love to help and find reward in assisting everyone live a healthy and active lifestyle!
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