California Athletic Trainers’ Association (CATA) Says Qualified Athletic Trainers Can Reduce Number of Serious Injuries, Keep Young Athletes Safe
SAN DIEGO, Calif.—Aug. 11, 2006
It’s an undeniable fact: Athletic kids get injured.
Every year, more than 3.5 million children ages 14 and over receive medical treatment for sport-related injuries including falls, collisions, concussions, heat illness and overexertion, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. And more than 775,000 are treated in emergency rooms, reports the American College of Sports Medicine. What can be done to reduce the incidence of such accidents and to ensure that injured children receive the best possible medical attention?
“Immediate care given to young athletes by a qualified athletic trainer can reduce the severity of their injuries,” says Chino Hills High School Athletic Director Mike West, ATC. “As physical medicine specialists, a properly certified athletic trainer can offer a range of services, including injury prevention, immediate evaluation and treatment, and rehabilitation, to reduce the risk of serious injuries.”
West, who is also a certified athletic trainer and member of the California Athletic Trainers’ Association (CATA), believes the need for a qualified athletic trainer and comprehensive healthcare program in high schools and club-level sports is imperative because sports participation among boys and girls has increased more than 37 percent in the past 20 years, according to the National Federation of High Schools.
The CATA advocates parents and high school administrators take action now to keep young athletes healthy and safe by assessing their athletic programs and implementing the recommendations defined by an interdisciplinary task force of physicians, nurses, athletic trainers, emergency medicine specialists, other allied health care professionals and safety specialists in a 2003 critical consensus statement on “Appropriate Medical Care for Secondary School-Age Athletes.”
In a nutshell, the experts recommend organizations sponsoring sports programs establish an athletic health care team: a certified athletic trainer, team physician and/or school nurse that work closely with the coaching staff to ensure appropriate medical care is provided to all participants during games or practice. Parents can do their homework by asking the following questions:
- Does my child’s school or sports facility have a comprehensive health care team?
- Is on-site medical care provided if a child is injured?
- Does my child’s program promote safe facilities and maintain appropriate equipment?
- Is my child mentally and physically ready to participate in sports?
- Does the school or facility offer rehabilitation and re-conditioning services?
- Are psychosocial consultation and referrals available for athletes?
- Do the medical experts provide scientifically sound nutritional information?
- Has the program developed injury and illness prevention strategies?
“When Parent-Teacher Associations and school administrators are looking at budgets for the coming year, they need to think about who’s taking care of their kids in sports,” asserts West. “You wouldn’t leave your child at the pool without a lifeguard, so why would you let your child participate in high school sports without a certified athletic trainer or medical expert available?”
As a significant part of a school or sports facility’s medical care team, a certified athletic trainer is more than a stereotypical ankle taper. An athletic trainer’s role goes beyond managing athletes with catastrophic injuries to include performance training, rehabilitation and many other highly beneficial health care services. In some cases, their on-site care, both preventative and immediate, can make the difference between life and death for a young athlete. Coaches, although sometimes trained to instruct athletes in proper sports techniques and to administer CPR, are not qualified to offer the extent of an athletic trainer’s services.
“As temperatures soar across the nation, a qualified athletic trainer will serve a critical role in preventing heat illnesses, which can quickly turn deadly, as football and other teams begin intensive pre-season practice,” said West.
About the California Athletic Trainers Association (CATA):
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the provision of physical medicine and rehabilitation services, serving as physician extenders in the prevention, assessment and treatment of acute and chronic injuries and illnesses. The California Athletic Trainers Association (www.cata-usa.org) represents and supports 2,200 members of the athletic training profession through communication and education.
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