What you probably don't know about certified athletic trainers
What is an Athletic Trainer?
The certified athletic trainer (ATC) is a highly educated and skilled professional specializing in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. In cooperation with physicians and other allied health personnel, the ATC functions as an integral member of the athletic healthcare team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, sports medicine clinics, professional sports programs, industrial settings and other healthcare environments.
Visit the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) on the Internet at http://www.nata.org.
ATCs aren't just for marquee athletes
You'll certainly find certified athletic trainers in every major professional sport, but you'll also find them at every level of collegiate athletics, in a growing number of secondary schools, in sports medicine clinics and now in industrial settings as well as other healthcare environments.
It's incorrect to call them "trainers"?
If you do this, you are not distinguishing between certified athletic trainers and a number of other professions that include the word "trainer," like personal trainers or horse trainers. If you don't want to use the full name "certified athletic trainer," use "athletic trainer" or, best of all, "ATC."
They are allied health professionals.
In fact, the American Medical Association recognizes athletic training as an allied healthcare profession and recommends the use of ATCs in all high school athletic programs. The certified athletic trainer is a highly educated and skilled professional specializing in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. In cooperation with physicians and other allied health personnel, the ATC functions as an integral member of the athletic healthcare team.
Most states require certification to practice athletic training.