It’s easy to think of athletic therapists working with teams and sports across the country. But Certified Athletic Therapist (CAT(C)) Schad Richea thinks athletic therapy is now making strides working with anyone who is active: performing artists, people who work in law enforcement, and in a wide variety of other physically demanding professions.
Speaking from personal experience, Schad has been working with performing artists for almost 9 years including the incredible singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks! We had the opportunity to sit down with Schad to find out more about this aspect of athletic therapy — and the importance of being surrounded by experts who help you do what you love.
Often, people don’t realize that with athletic therapy, they can continue to do the things they love. As many performing artists look for elite level care, Schad can utilize the skills of athletic therapy and help them recover from different muscle, bone, and joint related injuries. Artists like to be involved in their own recovery, and seek out rehabilitation that they can be active in and have control over, so athletic therapy is a great fit.
Schad’s favourite part of this profession is working with these motivated people. Working one-on-one, athletic therapists are able to achieve great results with clients. Through active treatment, CAT(C)s can find issues early enough to make a real difference and help artists take control over their rehabilitation. Although performing artists aren’t necessarily looking for athletic therapy, they are looking for a treatment they can be involved in and are referred to a CAT(C) like Schad.
Combining orthopedic assessment, prevention and rehab/treatment, CAT(C)s can help artists be prepared for physical challenges and gain the ability to take care of themselves outside of the tour.
On tour, Schad helps artists, like Stevie Nicks, as well as the secondary people who need the artists to be able to take the stage! If the performer can’t perform, the whole tour team struggles or can’t work. Schad’s influence as an athletic therapist can determine whether the show can go on.
In fact, Schad recalled a time before a show when the backup guitarist came to him and thanked him for his work with Stevie. The guitarist was so grateful because if Stevie could not perform, he wouldn’t get paid. He appreciated Schad’s work because when Stevie is doing well, the whole team is able to do their jobs.
The impact athletic therapy can make on someone’s life is huge. People who make their money on how they move, like performing artists, rely on CAT(C)s to stay in top physical condition, and most importantly, teach them to heal while continuing to do the activities their livelihood is built on.
If you are interested in seeing what a CAT(C) can do for you, find one in your neighbourhood on our website. Make sure to stay up to date with CATA by following us om Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn!