1. Unit #1 Sports Medicine, The Sports Medicine Team and Their Roles

2. A Brief History of Sports Medicine
Sports medicine & Athletic Training dates back to ancient Rome
The first “athletic trainers” were actually physicians who worked with the gladiators
The most famous of these ancient “trainers” was Herodicus of Megara, who is perhaps more famous for being the teacher of Hippocrates who is considered to be the father of modern medicine

3. A Brief History of Sports Medicine
When the Roman Empire fell, interest in athletics declined and athletic training did not again emerge in history until the early 20th Century with the development of collegiate and professional athletic teams in the United States
Many of the early athletic trainers were also the team managers, who happened to have an interest in medicine. Many of these people were “self taught” and are responsible for many of the athletic training techniques still used today.

4. A Brief History of Sports Medicine
Today athletic trainers are not the “jack of all trades” individuals that founded the profession, but rather highly trained professionals with a wide variety of specialized skills
Today, the Certified Athletic Trainer plays a vital role in the daily health care of high school, collegiate, world class amateur, and professional athletes

5. What is Sports Medicine?

6. What is Sports Medicine?

7. What is Sports Medicine?

8. What is Sports Medicine?
The term “sports medicine” means different things to different groups
Sports medicine encompasses many specialized areas related to sports
Athletic Training is just one of those
Can you think of some others?

9. Sports Medicine Organizations
A number of professional organizations are dedicated to sports medicine and athletic training

10. Sports Medicine Organizations
Professional organizations have many goals:
To upgrade the field by devising and maintaining professional standards, including a Code of Ethics
**Critical Thought….What is a Code of Ethics?
To bring together professionally competent individuals to exchange ideas, stimulate research, and promote critical thought
To give individuals an opportunity to work as a group towards a single professional goal or purpose that they would not likely achieve as an individual

11. Sports Medicine Organizations
Many of the national organizations interested in athletic health care and athlete safety have state and local associations that are extensions of the larger body
National, state, and local sports organizations have all provided support for the reduction of illness/injury risk to athletes

12. The Players on the Sports Medicine Team
The primary athletic training team consists of the coach, the athletic trainer, and the team physician
The major concern of everyone on this team should be the health and welfare of the athlete
The physician always has the final decision regarding the health care of athletes. The athletic trainer works in cooperation with the physician in making these decisions and caring for injuries/illnesses. The coach should always defer and support the medical staff in matters of athletic health care.

13. The Players on the Sports Medicine Team
The coach should have role in the decisions that are made, however it needs to be made at the appropriate level. There may be particular drills or activities that an athlete should be doing in the course of recovering from an injury that coaches should assist with.
Likewise, communication is vital between the coach and medical staff to insure everyone is always on the same page

14. The Players on the Sports Medicine Team
Another important part of the sports medicine team at the secondary school level is the athlete’s family
ATCs must always be sure to keep parents informed of injuries suffered by their children
ATCs must also accept the fact that parents may insist on having their children examined by physicians other than the school’s team physicians

15. Responsibilities of the Coach
The coach is directly responsible for preventing injuries by ensuring that athletes have undergone a preventative injury conditioning program
Coaches must also ensure that all sports equipment is in good condition, proper working order, and safe to use
They must ensure that the facilities are safe and free of anything that could cause an injury.

16. Responsibilities of the Coach
All coaches should be certified in CPR and First Aid.
They should have a thorough knowledge or proper training and skill techniques for the sport they are coaching
Finally, coaches and the athletic trainer need to communicate and develop an understanding and awareness of each other’s responsibilities and difficulties in doing their jobs in order to function effectively

17. Roles and Responsibilities of the ATC
Of all the professionals charged with injury prevention and health care of athletes, perhaps none is more intimately involved in with the athlete than the athletic trainer.
The athletic trainer most often deals with the athlete from the moment of injury, through initial (acute care) and follow-up care, rehab, and finally return to play

18. Roles and Responsibilities of the ATC
The ATC is most directly responsible for all phases of health care in the athletic environment. Their responsibilities include:
Preventing injuries
Providing initial first aid and injury management
Evaluating injuries
Designing and implementing timely rehab programs that can return an athlete to participation

19. Roles and Responsibilities of the ATC
ATCs are employed in the following settings:
Public and private schools
Colleges and universities
Professional athletic teams
Sports Medicine/Physical Therapy clinics
Corporations and industry
Theater and dance companies

20. Roles and Responsibilities of the ATC
Qualifications for an ATC
The ATC must be knowledgeable and competent in a variety of sports medicine specialties if he or she is to be effective in doing their job
The NATA has established specific requirements that must be met for an individual to become an ATC, including specific academic and clinical course work
All ATCs take and pass the NATA BOC national certification examination

21. Roles and Responsibilities of the ATC
The major roles and responsibilities of the athletic trainer include…
Athletic injury prevention/risk management
Recognition, evaluation, and assessment of injuries
Immediate care of injuries and illnesses
Rehabilitation of injuries
Health care organization and administration
Professional development and responsibility

22. Injury Prevention and Risk Management
This responsibility includes…
Ensuring appropriate training and conditioning techniques
Monitoring the playing environment
Ensuring properly fitted equipment and maintained protective equipment
Explaining the importance of proper nutrition
Using medications appropriately

23. Recognition, Evaluation, and Assessment of Injuries
This responsibility includes…
Coordinating and conducting pre-participation physicals and screenings
Informing athletes, parents, coaches of the inherent risks of participation in certain sports
Being able to recognize the signs, symptoms, and causations of injuries and illnesses and determine appropriate courses of action

24. Immediate Care of Injuries/Illnesses
This responsibility includes…
Having the knowledge to provide appropriate initial and follow-up care for injuries/illnesses both on the sidelines and in the training room
Having appropriate certifications in CPR, First Aid, and depending on location – training in advanced emergency medicine

25. Treatment and Rehabilitation
This responsibility includes…
Working closely with the physician to design and carry out appropriate treatment and rehab protocols for injuries
Having a knowledge of therapeutic modalities, rehab equipment, and rehab techniques
Working closely with other allied health professionals like physical therapists or strength and conditioning coaches to carry out rehab plans.

26. Health Care Organization and Administration
This responsibility includes…
The organization and administration of the athletic training program including…
Maintenance of athletic health records
Requisition and inventory of supplies
Submission of insurance information
Supervision of assistant ATCs, student athletic trainers
Establishment of appropriate policies and procedures

27. Professional Development and Responsibility
This responsibility includes…
Education of the general public, including other medical providers, about the role of the ATC as an allied health care provider
Acting at all times with the highest standards of conduct and integrity, following the NATA’s Code of Ethics
Failure to do so may result in loss of certification

28. Responsibilities of the Team Physician
The ATC works primarily under the supervision of the team physician
The team physician is ultimately responsible for directing the total health care of the athlete
In cooperation with the team physician, the ATC makes decisions that have a direct effect on the athlete who has sustained an injury

29. Responsibilities of the Team Physician
The primary responsibilities of the team physician include…
Compiling medical histories and assisting with pre-participation physicals
Diagnosing athletic injuries referred from the ATC
Deciding on disqualifications
Attending practices and games
Commitment to the athletic program they serve

30. Other Members of the Sports Medicine Team
A number of support health services may be used by a sports medicine program.
These allied health professionals may include the following…

31. The School Nurse
Often in public or private schools the school nurse assists the ATC with the health care of student-athletes during the school day

32. Physician Specialists
Orthopedist
Neurologist
Internist
Ophthalmologist
Pediatrician
Psychiatrist
Dentist
Podiatrist
Chiropractor

33. Physician Assistants
Assist physicians with various aspects of patient care
Many ATCs have become PA’s in recent years

34. Strength & Conditioning Coach
Many colleges and high schools now employ full-time certified strength coaches
Athletic trainers often work closely with these individuals to design appropriate training programs for athletes

35. Sports Psychologist
Advises the ATC on matters related to the psychological aspects of the injury and rehab process
Also may be helpful in dealing with other psychological issues such as eating disorders and weight control

36. Exercise Physiologists
Often assist the ATC with such things as body composition analysis, training techniques, and nutritional issues

37. Nutritionists
Some larger athletic training programs now have nutritionists that work with them in planning eating programs for athletic teams and individual athletes

38. Equipment Personnel
Many schools and colleges now employ full or part-time individuals who specialize in the proper fitting and maintenance of athletic equipment
They work closely with the coaching staff and sports medicine staff to insure player safety

39. Referees and Officials
Must be highly knowledgeable regarding the rules and regulations of the sports they officiate
Responsible for checking the playing facility and players to ensure no one will be predisposed to injury

40. Summing up… Sports medicine team consists of whom?
Coach, ATC, Team Physician
Primary responsibility of the coach?
Insuring safe environment and equipment
Primary responsibility of Athletic Trainer?
Prevention, care, and rehab of injuries
Primary responsibility of Team Physician?
PPE’s, diagnosis & treatment, working closing with supervising the athletic trainer

42. References & Resources
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured – 8th Edition, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2002.
Anderson, Marcia, & Susan J. Hall, Fundamentals of Sports Injury Management
Arnheim, Daniel D., & William E. Prentice, Essentials of Athletic Training – 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2002.
Arnheim, Daniel D., & William E. Prentice, Modern Principles of Athletic Training, McGraw-Hill, 2000.
Cartwright, Lorin A., & William A. Pitney, Athletic Training for Student Assistants, Human Kinetics, 1999.
Kapit, Wynn, & Lawrence M. Elson, The Anatomy Coloring Book, Harper-Collins Publishers, 1977.
Mistovich, Joseph J., Brent Q. Hafen, Keith J. Karren, & Howard A. Werman, Pre-hospital Emergency Care, 1999.
Pfeiffer, Ronald P., & Brent C. Mangus, Concepts of Athletic Training – 2nd Edition, Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing, 1989.
Roy, Steven, Richard Irvin, & Duane Iverson, Sports Medicine: Prevention, Evaluation, Management, and Rehabilitation of Athletic Injuries – 2nd Edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1998.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (
American College of Sports Medicine (
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (