Athletic Therapy

What is Athletic Therapy?

Using a sports medicine model of rehabilitation, Certified Athletic Therapists (CATs) provide immediate treatment to musculoskeletal injuries incurred from sports, recreation, daily activities or occupation and apply rehabilitation techniques to ensure a rapid return to work and play.[1]

Much like Physiotherapy, Athletic Therapy focuses on prevention, immediate care, and reconditioning of musculoskeletal injuries. CATs treat a wide range of patients, from children to seniors using various manual therapies, modalities, exercise prescription as well as bracing and taping.[2],

CATs have in-depth knowledge, education and training in the areas of the human musculoskeletal system, exercise physiology, biomechanics, and basic emergency care.

Within this, the scope of practice is divided into five practice domains as follows:

1. Prevention
2. Assessment
3. Intervention
4. Practice Management
5. Professional Responsibility.[3]

Prevention includes musculoskeletal and postural evaluation, equipment selection, fitting and repair, warm-up, conditioning programs, prophylactic or supportive taping, and adapting to the activity environment and facilities.[4] The provision of on-field immediate care of athletic injuries by a CAT includes: injury assessment, basic emergency life support, recognition and management of acute traumatic neurological dysfunction, provision of first aid, preparation for entrance into appropriate health care delivery systems, or, where appropriate, utilization of techniques facilitating a safe return to participation. CATs assess injuries and conditions, use contemporary rehabilitative techniques, therapeutic modalities, soft tissue mobilization, physical reconditioning, and supportive strapping procedures to promote an environment conducive to optimal healing in preparing the individual for safe reintegration into an active lifestyle.[5]

Certified Athletic Therapists work in environments such as:

•      Private sports medicine and therapy clinics (in fee-for-service clinics[6])
•      Professional sports, such as the National Hockey League, Canadian Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball
•      Elite games, such as the Olympics, Pan American, Canada Games
•      Teaching or research at universities and colleges
•      High school, amateur and varsity athletics
•      Professional dance companies
•      Sales and marketing for performance and rehabilitation brands
•      Municipal government and industrial workplaces

[1] Athletic Therapists Association of BC (ATABC), retrieved on December 17, 2015 http://www.athletictherapybc.ca/about-athletic-therapy/

[2] Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA), retrieved on November 16, 2015 https://athletictherapy.org/en/about-athletic-therapy/what-is-athletic-therapy/

[3]CATA, retrieved on December 24, 2015 https://athletictherapy.org/en/about-athletic-therapy/scope-of-practice/

[4]ATABC, retrieved on January 18, 2016 http://www.athletictherapybc.ca/

[5]ATABC, retrieved on December 23, 2015 http://www.athletictherapybc.ca/

[6]ATABC, retrieved on December 23, 2015 http://www.athletictherapybc.ca/about-athletic-therapy/careers-in-athletic-therapy/

 

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