Over the years the word “trainer” has taken on many different meanings.  To some people a trainer is someone who teaches them about nutrition and fitness.  Soccer players sometimes think of a trainer as a coach.  Others might expect to see a trainer posing for a picture next to his or her prize winning stallion.

To the athlete, the word trainer has an unmistakable meaning.  Athletic trainers are the primary providers of day-to-day sports medicine in a variety of settings.  Patients count on their trainer for everything from nutrition advice to injury prevention to counseling to injury recognition, treatment and rehabilitation.

Professional athletic trainers have been around for years but have been well established the entire last half of this century.  Over these years, athletic trainers have evolved from coaches with injury care responsibilities to allied health professionals with special training in the care of athletic medical problems.

Today, licensed and/or certified athletic trainers must have a great deal of schooling to become proficient in their trade.  They must have a college degree, take certain prescribed courses in sciences, anatomy and physiology, and in sports medicine.  After finishing their required training they must take a state exam that involves both written and practical tests.

Trainers who take care of athletic teams have the primary responsibility for the health of the team members.  They take care of the everyday business of sports medicine by supervising off season, conditioning and practice sessions to minimize the potential for injury.  A trainer is usually the first person to evaluate a sports injury and are trained to determine whether the injury is something that can be handled “in house” or whether a referral to the team doctor is necessary.  And, whether managing an injury primarily or in conjunction with the team doc, the trainer participates in all phases of injury recovery and rehabilitation.

Trainers can also work in a clinical setting.  Many athletic trainers are employed in physical therapy clinics where their unique expertise in injury recognition and rehabilitation is put to good use.  Often, trainers who work primarily in a therapy clinic have responsibilities outside of the office assisting a sports team or at various athletic events.

Athletic trainers also prove useful to orthopaedic and sports medicine clinics.  There they learn to apply casts, take relevant history of athletic injuries and provide advice and information for the injured athlete.

The recent trend is for large corporations and departments to employ athletic trainers to care for the employees.  For example, trainers often find work in police and fire departments supervising the physical conditioning and general health of the officers in addition to treating their musculoskeletal injuries acquired on the job.

Also, athletic training has developed into a true sports medicine science.  They produce professional journals as a forum to share original research and practical knowledge with everyone in sports medicine.

People who have access to an athletic trainer are lucky indeed.  Everyone with access to a trainer should be encouraged to seek his or her advice on any number of topics from musculoskeletal injury to nutrition to sports psychology.  Always talk to you trainer early in order to keep small problems from snowballing.

Any school district who is considering hiring an athletic trainer should.  Not only do they keep the student athletes as healthy as possible, they can contribute to the success of the athletic teams by keeping the talent on the field or court.  Trainers also have the potential to reduce student health care costs by managing some sports injuries in the training room and from injury prevention and early recognition.

The bottom line is that athletic trainers are invaluable members of the sports medicine team and their talents and expertise should be maximized.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask any trainer or sports medicine doctor for more information.