The Decaturian is Millikin's student-run newspaper. The opinions reflected may not be those of Millikin as an institution.

The Decaturian

The Decaturian is Millikin's student-run newspaper. The opinions reflected may not be those of Millikin as an institution.

The Decaturian

The Decaturian is Millikin's student-run newspaper. The opinions reflected may not be those of Millikin as an institution.

The Decaturian

The Importance of Athletic Training

Without athletic trainers, athletes would be in a world of hurt.

Athletic trainers are often the first responders to emergencies or injuries during games, practices or after practices in the training room. With their help, many athletes get the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation they need when injury occurs. Athletic trainers are important members of the sports community; because of the large amount of young people playing multiple sports and the high-intensity of today’s sports, the field is rapidly growing.

The athletic trainer’s job description is known as, “a certified health care professional who practices in the field of sports medicine,” according to National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). Also according to NATA, “Athletic training is practiced by athletic trainers, health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to optimize activity and participation of patients and clients. Athletic training encompasses the prevention, diagnosis and intervention of emergency, acute and chronic medical conditions involving impairment, functional limitations and disabilities.” The definition of an athletic trainer looks complicated, but after it is broken down, it simply encompasses a broader spectrum of treatment than the specialized route that some medical professionals seek.

For anyone considering joining this profession, it may look daunting but it is worth it due to the end of seeing a patient through her or his treatment successfully. Miranda Lofgren, a pursuing athletic trainer at Millikin, says that she “wanted to become an athletic trainer because it was one of the only health professions where you get to see patients when they are hurt and healthy. As an athletic trainer you can see the patient make progress and really become invested in their well-being.” It is a self-gratifying profession, and the time put into pursuing it is well spent, as the investment comes back immediately after school is over.

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With sports growing at an exponential rate and with more intense training, the role of the athletic trainer becomes more important. Their role at a college or high school results in having on-site access to diagnosis or treatment for participants, who do not have to wait to visit off-site medical facilities. The athletic trainer can also be looked at as the middle-person who contributes to the diagnosis or injury before a student-athlete visits the doctor. In this way, it is only an advantage to have an athletic trainer on-site at any competition. Next time there is an injury on the field during a high school competition or college match; remember those who run out to respond to an injury to give on-site treatment and how it would be without them.

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