Athletic Trainers in the wake of COVID-19

Written by: Evan Goreham - IRG ATC at our Gateway Clinic

When speaking with athletic trainers, many of them will tell you that one of the main reasons they chose to go into the profession was their love for athletics and sports. The idea that there will always be sports, and therefore there will always be a need for athletic trainers, is another deciding factor on choosing the profession. Unfortunately, beginning in March 2020, this was no longer the case. Many athletic trainers were left with no ankles to tape, practices to cover, or games to work. With this new normal, athletic trainers were forced to do what they’ve done plenty of times before -  adjust, adapt and overcome challenges to evolve with the times, and continue to provide care as a healthcare professional.

Athletic trainers have adapted to new settings, such as clinics, hospitals and industrial locations to provide daily COVID-19 screenings, while continuing to provide athletic training services, such as injury prevention, evaluation and rehabilitation. The presence of an athletic trainer allows a workplace to screen their employees and customers for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, promote proper hygiene habits and social distancing, as well as execute contact tracing in the scenario of a positive case. The presence of a trained healthcare professional on-site to perform these duties allows a company, its customers and its employees a peace of mind that their health and wellbeing are a priority during these times. 

Although we are eager and ready for sports and athletics to return, athletic trainers across the country have accepted the challenge of these uncertain times, and aim to continue to help and provide care in any way possible. 

If you are interested in learning more about athletic training services provided by IRG, please contact evan.goreham@irgpt.com