When planning a return to running, psychological readiness is equally as important as physical readiness.Returning to sport after a running injury requires a cautious and systematic approach to ensure the athlete's full recovery and prevent further injuries. Although each athlete’s injury and recovery are different, a general step-by-step approach can help to develop and implement a plan for running injury recovery. Recommended course: Return to Sport: … [Read more...]
Acute and Emergency Care in Athletic Training
The primary job of athletic trainers is to provide immediate care to injured athletes.Acute and emergency care is the athletic trainer’s responsibility, as athletes are at risk of injuries and suffer medical emergencies during training and competition.  Emergency Action Plan for Athletic Trainers  All athletic programs should have a detailed emergency action plan (EAP) in place. A good EAP includes well-defined steps to take in a medical emergency … [Read more...]
Proper Sleeping Habits for Athletes
The importance of proper sleeping habits for athletesIn general, moderate exercise impacts sleep positively. However, in an analysis of over 1,600 studies, researchers found that athletes tended to suffer from poor quality sleep. Athletes took longer to fall asleep, woke up more often, had a hard time falling back asleep, and experienced non-restorative sleep and excessive daytime fatigue. When athletes consistently train at higher intensities (anything … [Read more...]
Dietary Supplements for Athletes
A balanced diet is the foundation for sports performance, certain dietary supplements can be beneficial. Are dietary supplements good for athletes?  Specific dietary supplements for athletes vary by sports performance goals and the individual athlete. Endurance athletes and strength athletes have different nutrient requirements; thus, the recommended dietary supplements differ Key nutrition for endurance athletes Endurance athletes engage in regular … [Read more...]
What Athletic Trainers Should Know About Opioids
Athletic trainers must be aware of the issue of opioid use.The incidence of opioid abuse in professional athletes is estimated to range from 4.4% to 4.7% for all sports. However, for athletes in the NFL, the rate of opioid abuse is much higher. An estimated 52% of all NFL players will use opioids during or after their career to manage pain associated with injury (Ekhtiari, 2020).   Athletic trainers play a primary role in the well-being of athletes. … [Read more...]
Bodily Injury Liability Insurance for Rehabilitation Professionals
Having bodily injury liability insurance is essential for athletic trainers to protect themselves and their families.Bodily injury liability is a type of insurance coverage. It provides financial protection to the policyholder if they are found legally responsible for causing bodily injury or death to another person.   What does bodily injury liability insurance do?  For athletic trainers, bodily injury liability insurance is a form of professional … [Read more...]
Injury Prevention Exercises for Athletes
Injury prevention exercises are an important part of any sports training program.These exercises help to strengthen the muscles, improve muscle pliability and joint range of motion, and reduce the risk of injury.  Injury prevention exercises fall into one of three broad categories:  Resistance training, to build muscle and strengthen the connective tissues supporting muscle and joint function  Flexibility training, designed to improve muscle and … [Read more...]
Splinting Techniques for Athletic Trainers and Rehabilitation Professionals
Athletic trainers use splinting techniques to provide immediate support and protection.Splinting is a technique used in athletics to immobilize and support a body part that has been injured, like a broken bone or a sprained joint. Athletic trainers use splinting techniques to provide immediate support and protection to the affected area until the athlete can be examined and treated by a physician.  Splinting plays a major role in the management of … [Read more...]