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...]