About Athletic Training
What Athletic Trainers Do
Athletic trainers provide a form of health care that includes preventing, recognizing, assessing, managing, treating, disposing of, and reconditioning athletic injuries. An athlete is a person who participates in an organized sport or sport-related exercise or activity. Athletic trainers provide services under the direction of a licensed physician.
Services provided by athletic trainers may include, but are not limited to:
- planning and implementing a comprehensive athletic injury and illness prevention program;
- assessing an athlete's injury or illness in order to provide emergency or continued care and referral to a physician for definitive diagnosis and treatment, if appropriate;
- administering first aid and emergency care for acute athletic injuries and illnesses;
- planning and implementing a comprehensive rehabilitation program for athletic injuries; and
- providing health care information and counseling athletes.
For more information, please see program rule 110.12.
Where Athletic Trainers Work
Athletic training services may be provided in any setting authorized by a physician. Athletic trainers typically provide services in high schools, colleges or universities, professional or amateur athletic organizations, athletic facilities, and health care facilities. However, athletic trainers may also provide athletic training in other settings.
Providing Health Care Services
Athletic trainers may provide other health care services only in accordance with state and federal laws regarding those services, including Occupations Code, Chapter 157, relating to a physician's delegated authority. For more information, please see program rule 110.12(d).