What is a certified athletic trainer?
A certified athletic trainer attends to the needs of injured athletes and helps them return to play by evaluating the extent of their injury, treating the injury, performing functional testing, performing rehabilitation, and teaching the athlete how to prevent further injury through appropriate conditioning.
Does your school have a certified athletic trainer?
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If you belong to Bassett Health Care's Sports Medicine Program, you do. Bassett Healthcare provides a certified athletic trainer who will travel to your school on a week to week basis as needed. In 2005, Andrew Spence, ATC, joined Bassett Healthcare's Sports Medicine Program. Spence's certification is from the National Athletic Trainers Association and he is licensed in New York State as a certified athletic trainer. For more information about Andrew Spence click here.
How do I get in touch with my certified athletic trainer?
Call the Sports Medicine Hotline at 800-618-8880, and the athletic trainer will make an appointment with you at Oneonta Specialty Services, or in Cooperstown at the Physical Therapy Outpatient Clinic located at 21 Railroad Avenue. The Hotline can be reached 24 hours a day. Please leave your name, contact information and detailed message.
What can I do after I sustain an injury?
The body's natural process after injury is to swell. Inflammation is critical to healing, but the swelling associated with it can interfere with range of motion. An athlete should put ice on the affected area (for 20 minutes) provided you do not have an allergy to cold. The area should be elevated when possible. A compression wrap is also recommended on an injury to help prevent swelling. These simple measures will help to reduce swelling and pain associated with the injury.
What happens after you meet with the certified athletic trainer?
After the athletic trainer meets with you, he will assess what care should be given. This care may include further evaluation by an orthopedic surgeon, physician assistant, or other provider. If that step is not necessary, a recommended course of action that will allow you to return as fast as possible, yet safely, to your sport.
