Athletico/PRORehab Remind Athletes of All Types about the Importance of Athletic Trainers

You may think of an athletic trainer as the person at the end of the bench who comes running to the aid of an injured player. You’d be right, but only partly. Certified athletic trainers are members of the health care team who work with physicians, physical therapists and others to help prevent, recognize, assess, treat and rehabilitate injuries on the field, in the back yard and on the dance floor or musical stage.

As people become more active and as kids play and perform harder, injuries increase. March is National Athletic Training Month and this year’s theme is “We Prepare – You Perform,” PRORehab/Athletico Physical Therapy and the National Athletic Training Association want people to know how a certified athletic trainer can help them stay healthy and perform at their best. Here are some of the top injuries and problems athletic trainers treat and tips on how to address them:

• ACL Injuries – A tear in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) – the main connective tissue that holds the knee together – is the most common injury to that joint, with an estimated 200,000 each year sustained on the basketball court, the gymnastics mat, at the ballet barre or by stepping in a pothole during a morning run. Rehabilitation from an ACL tear includes strengthening the muscles that support the knee – the quadriceps and hamstrings in particular – as well as improving flexibility. Learning exercises to target weak muscle areas and make the knee stronger and more flexible also can help prevent these injuries.
• Low Back Pain – Almost everyone will experience pain in their lower back at some time due to strained muscles or decreased flexibility. The condition is extremely common especially among people who do a lot of heavy lifting on the job – from a construction worker to a mom carrying groceries and her not-so-little one. A good rehabilitation program is key to alleviating pain and preventing worse problems, such as an out-of-alignment vertebra or herniated disc. This includes developing proper body mechanics, such as correct posture and lifting, strengthening the core and aerobic conditioning.
• Rolled Ankle – Stopping fast during sports such as racquetball or even stepping off a curb awkwardly can lead to a rolled ankle and stretched ligaments, commonly known as a sprained ankle. The American College of Sports Medicine estimates that 25,000 Americans sprain their ankles every day and note that as many as 40 percent are poorly treated and misdiagnosed. RICE – rest, ice, compression and elevation – is the best strategy for treating this injury immediately. Taping and bracing of the ankle can provide support and prevent future problems.
• Rotator Cuff Injury – An injury or tear to the rotator cuff – a group of four muscles and tendons that help your shoulder move – can happen suddenly, such as from a lineman falling on a shoulder, or build up over time from repeated motion, such as from a swimming stroke. The injury is one of the most common conditions of the shoulder and most often afflicts people between the ages of 40-70. Exercises that focus on range of motion, stretching and strength-building are the keys to treating the injury and preventing further problems.
• Concussion – Concussions have increasingly been in the news, bringing attention to the importance of prevention, as well as how to assess and treat the 1.6 million to 3.8 million sports-related injuries that occur every year. Medical evaluation is crucial, and certified athletic trainers know the symptoms, can perform a special computerized assessment, guide a safe recovery and help prevent re-injury. Post-concussion management includes refraining from any physical activity as well as mental activities such as texting, reading video games or computer use until symptoms improve and the patient can be re-evaluated.
• Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury (Tommy John Surgery) – Throwing and racquet sports – from baseball to tennis – can be tough on the elbow, leading to injury of the ulnar collateral ligament, which connects the upper and lower parts of the arm. It’s the most commonly injured ligament among throwers and severe cases may require surgical replacement or repair of the ligament (named after Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John). The lengthy rehabilitation includes improving flexibility and range of motion, wrist-, forearm- and elbow-strengthening and readjusting mechanics. Prevention focuses on mechanics, flexibility and strength, and sometimes includes thermal or electrical treatments to promote healing, as well as splinting to rest the muscles.

PRORehab/Athletico offer complimentary 30-minute injury screenings to determine what’s causing aches and pains, as well as how to care for it and prevent it from happening again.

Athletico recently acquired Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers, which includes, PRORehab, a physical therapy company with 28 locations in the greater St. Louis area. The acquisition created one of the largest physical therapy providers in the Midwest with over 330 locations in eight states, including Missouri. All PRORehab facilities will become Athletico facilities in the coming months. For more information, visit www.athletico.com.