What IS an Athletic Trainer….Part 2!

4 min Read

“Soooo Are you a PT? “

This is the second most common question that I get when discussing what I do and how I help people. (The first is, “what do you do?”)

And I always answer with this….

“Similar but different.”

I get it, most people know what a PT (Physical Therapist) is. They have either been through some type of rehab or know someone who has. OR they have used or someone they know has used a Personal Trainer in the past.

But even after being a Profession for over 50 years and being recognized as an Allied Health Professional by the American Medical Association for 35 years, still not many people know what exactly a Certified Athletic Trainer (AT) is.

Even after the spotlight was shown on us last year on Monday Night Football when Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field and his Athletic Trainer saved his life….still many don’t know who we are and what we do….

So let’s clear this up a bit.

What does it take to become a Certified Athletic Trainer?

Currently to become a Certified Athletic Trainer you need to complete a Master’s Degree in an accredited program. There the focus is on Injury Prevention, Injury Assessment, Injury Care, Injury Rehabilitation and Return to Play (this last one is key).

There is then a National Certification Exam to Pass at the end of the Program.

Once Certified, most commonly you will find Athletic Trainers working in High Schools, College, Professional Sports, Clinics, Military, Industrial, Performing Arts and now more recently in the Private Settings. Their knowledge and skills to be able to help with most injuries make them a great choice to help you with YOUR pain, injury or movement limitations.

How is this different for Physical Therapists?

As for the Physical Therapists, they now have to complete a Doctorate Degree in an accredited program. There the focus is learning the same Assessments and Rehabilitation skills as the Athletic Trainer. In addition they spend that third year on other types of rehab such as cardiac and pulmonary. They also spend more time on Neurological issues such as Cerebral Palsy, and MS (Muscular Dystrophy) and such.

They also have a National Certification Exam to pass at the end of their program as well.

Once certified they work in hospitals, clinics, rehab facilities and private practice. 

So as I said before, similar but different.

This is where Athletic Trainers stand out…

First, is our role in Injury care. Many times the athletic trainer is on the scene when an injury happens. At that time they assess on the field and proceed with the possible emergency or basic care needed for the situation. Athletic Trainers are trained First Responders as well and are part of the emergency action plan if there is a need! So our evaluation and assessment skills are top notch! 

Second, is our role in Return to Play. Since many ATs work in many different types of settings, we don’t just focus on getting you out of pain—we focus on getting you back to moving at a high level without pain or reinjury. Return to Play isn’t just about recovery; it’s about confidence, performance, and longevity.

Where do Personal Trainers fit in?

First, unlike Athletic Trainers and Physical Therapists, no formal education is required. There are various certifications that range from weekend to year long courses but again, none are required. Now don’t get me wrong, I know some absolutely fantastic personal trainer that are a wealth of knowledge and masters of their craft….but they pursued that on their own…it’s not what was required for them to start in their field.

Their focus is usually to help with fitness goals such as losing weight, and getting stronger. They work in gyms, community centers, and even health clinics.

So again you can see there is ovelap here as well! 

Have I had to help someone get stronger? Every Day. 

Have I had to help someone lose weight? You bet! (Including myself!) 

Athletic Trainers are uniquely trained to support the full spectrum of health and movement—whether that’s injury recovery, injury prevention, or simply moving and feeling better.

If you currently have an injury or movement issue let’s chat!

Click below and set up a FREE call and let’s figure out how I can help YOU!

Now you hopefully understand why I answer that question “Similar, but Different”

Oh and PLEASE do NOT call us Trainers….again, Similar but Different! 😊