Found at all levels of athletics, from middle school to the pros, athletic trainers work with all different types of athletes. An athletic trainer caters to athletes hurt during practice or a game and provides ongoing physical therapy to help heal current injuries and prevent future ones. The athletic trainer works with athletes, giving them the tools they need to reach the top of their game. For an athletic trainer to be at the top of his game, he needs a strong educational background in the sciences.
An athletic trainer gains the scientific knowledge he needs to succeed through an athletic training degree program. Athletic trainers must have at minimum a bachelor’s degree in athletic training. At the collegiate and professional levels, most employers want a master’s degree in athletic training. Regardless of the level the trainer attains, he should choose a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Choosing an accredited program ensures that the trainer receives the necessary science background he needs.
Students interested in pursuing athletic training should start by gaining a solid foundation in the body-related sciences. They'll need anatomy and biology, which give them knowledge of the structure of the body and how the body parts work together. Studying physiology helps athletic trainers understand the function of each body part. Both physiology and anatomy allow trainers to treat an athlete’s injuries and prescribe the best plan to get those body parts back in working order. The study of biomechanics helps trainers comprehend how bodily movement can positively or negatively affect different parts of the body, so they can transfer that knowledge to help athletes prevent injuries.
Nutritional and Sport Sciences
Along with bodily sciences, athletic trainers must take courses in the nutritional sciences. What an athlete puts in his body is just as important as what he does to his body. Athletic trainers who study nutrition and dietetics have the knowledge to aid athletes in developing eating plans and choose the best fuel for their bodies. Trainers also need courses in sport sciences, like kinesiology, exercise physiology and sports medicine, to understand how an athlete’s body operates and the best ways to treat athletic bodies.
While traditional classes give the athletic trainer the knowledge and education in different science areas, hands-on experiences help him see the whole picture. Many athletic training degree programs mandate an internship or practicum as part of the curriculum. Internships and practicums give the student hands-on experience in real-life athletic training settings. They allow him to apply the scientific information he learned in class to everyday situations he’ll encounter in the field.
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