What is an Athletic Trainer?

What is an Athletic Trainer?

An Athletic Trainer is a trained professional who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, rehabilitation, and education of injuries related to sports, fitness, and exercise. They work with all types of active people – not just athletes. 

Many people use the terms “athletic trainer” and “personal trainer” interchangeably, but an athletic trainer’s job is a bit different. Their primary focus is to prevent injuries or the recurrence of injuries, and their training is usually more extensive than a personal trainer.

How Can an Athletic Trainer Help You?

If you’re new to exercise, recently suffered an injury or want to prevent re-injury, you may benefit from working with an athletic trainer. But anyone who wants to stay safe during exercise or just wants to learn more about injury prevention should consider talking to an athletic trainer.

An athletic trainer can:

Show You the Proper Way to Exercise

Exercise plays a key role in health and wellness, but it’s important to make sure that you’re exercising properly. Improper form or use of equipment can lead to injuries.

An athletic trainer can show you the right way to exercise, correct your form and make sure that you’re using gym equipment properly.

Help You Take Preventative Measures to Avoid Injuries

Proper form is one way to prevent injuries, but athletic trainers may also do other things to help you avoid injuries, such as:

• - Applying tape

• - Applying braces

• - Stretching

   

Evaluate Your Injuries and Help with Rehabilitation

The goal of an athletic trainer is to prevent injuries from happening in the first place. But sports and physical activity can be unpredictable. When injuries do happen, they can evaluate and even assist with rehabilitation.

Many athletic trainers work closely with individuals to create treatment and physical conditioning plans. They may evaluate your progress, and adjust your plan as needed if you’re not getting the results you want.

Provide Nutrition Guidance

In addition to exercise guidance, athletic trainers can also help with your nutrition. They can evaluate your diet and assess your nutritional needs to make sure you’re meeting your goals. 

Educate on Health and Wellness

Education is a big part of an athletic trainer’s job. They can answer questions, provide guidance or assist with your rehabilitation as needed. They can also provide information on general health and wellness to help you stay as healthy and physically fit as possible.

Our Athletic Trainer is Available to All Members

Whitney Hare, ATC, is the athletic trainer here at Countryside YMCA. You’re welcome to stop in or schedule an appointment to ask questions or find out how she can help you. Whitney also hosts educational talks every month to help your members stay informed about wellness and health. Learn more about our on-site Athletic Trainer here.