The focus of these visits are to recover the patient to their pre-injury state. We address a wide variety of athletic injuries and include pre-surgical, post-surgical, and post-rehabilitative recovery. Profound Strength's owner and Athletic Trainer Dustin Girard designs programs to address each patients specific athletic injury.
Injury Recovery sessions will get you back to where you want to be with a Certified Athletic Trainer who specializes in athletic injury, treatment of athletic injuries, and lifestyle integration techniques. We will work with your doctor and your physical therapist to make sure you get top-notch care with less down time.
What is an Athletic Trainer?
Athletic Trainers are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to optimize patient and client activity and participation in athletics, work and life. The practice of athletic training encompasses the prevention, examination, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of emergent, acute, subacute and chronic neuromusculoskeletal conditions and certain medical conditions in order to minimize subsequent impairments, functional limitations, disability and societal limitations.
What do Athletic Trainers do?
Athletic Trainers are educated and trained in injury and illness prevention strategies that focus on optimizing health to improve an individual's quality of life. Athletic Trainers are the only health care professionals whose expertise in prevention ranges from minor sprains to catastrophic head and neck injuries, and from minor illnesses to exertional heat syndrome. Nutrition and wellness also play an integral role in the Athletic Trainers' work in preventing injury and illness. Athletic trainers recognize when consultation with other health care providers is necessary and refer accordingly.
The skill set of the Athletic Trainer
This list identifies examples of skills that athletic trainers routinely use for injury, illness and prevention.
Evaluate patients or clients to screen for potential injuries/illness or risk factors that would increase their risk of injury/illness. These screening procedures may include but are not limited to:
Pre-participation physical exams
Musculoskeletal flexibility assessment
Muscular strength and endurance assessment
Cardiovascular fitness assessment
Postural and ergonomic assessment
Body composition assessment
Design and implement emergency action plans to ensure medical personnel are prepared in an emergency situation.
Obtain and interpret environmental (e.g. ambient temperature, relative humidity, heat index, lightning) and patient/client data (e.g. hydration status to make appropriate recommendations for patient or client safety and the continuance of suspension of activity)
Educate patients or clients, coaches and parents on the importance of acclimatization and fluid and electrolyte balance in the prevention of heat illness.
Inspect facilities to ensure they are free of hazards, are sanitary, and that equipment is maintained properly.
Select, apply, evaluate, and modify prophylactic and protective equipment and other custom devices for patients or clients to minimize the risk of injury or re-injury
Educate and advise patients and clients regarding the nutritional aspects of physical activity. Proper nutrition can enhance performance, prevent injury and illness, and assist patients or clients in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and the athletic trainer is often the first point of contact for active patients/clients with nutritional questions. With regard to nutrition, athletic trainers:
Educate patients or clients about dietary needs related to the amount and type of activity being performed.
Effectively explain the difference in the role of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, fluids, and electrolytes in the diet of an active individual.
Refer patients or clients to appropriate medical professionals for assessment or evaluation of nutritional needs.
Identify and explain illnesses attributed to poor nutrition and advise patients and clients accordingly or refer to another medical professional.
Educate patients or clients regarding nutritional habits prior to, during, and after physical activity.
Educate patients or clients regarding ergogenic aids and other performance enhancing substances and also understand FDA regulation of dietary products
Educate patients or clients regarding weight loss/gain, weight control methods, and strategies for performance enhancement.
Communicate risks regarding substance abuse (social or performance enhancing) or improper dietary habits.
This information is provided by: National Athletic Trainers' Association (2010), Athletic Training Services: An Overview of Skills and Services Performed by Certified Athletic Trainers. Athletic Trainer Service Project Team.