Members of the National Association of Athletic Trainers will be in Washington, DC on Friday for the association’s annual “Capitol Hill Day,” where they hope to educate members of Congress about the athletic training profession and request support for athletic safety and physical activity legislation.
The day also marks the kickoff of National Athletic Training Month which takes place each March and will boast the theme “Athletic Trainers Save Lives.”
Indeed, high school athletes suffer 2 million injuries, have 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations every year – and 40 young athletes have died from sports injuries so far this year according to NATA.
And yet only 42 percent of high schools are staffed with athletic trainers, health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses and as such are in the unique position to act quickly when an athlete goes down on the field.
NATA and its members have been instrumental in heightening awareness around youth concussions, which ASBJ chronicled in its August 2011 issue.
And this month, NATA published a position statement that outlines the top 10 major health conditions and causes of sudden death among young athletes, along with updated recommendations to ensure better prevention and treatment of youth sport injuries.
“This is the first time NATA has provided this condensed information in one document to help medical professionals, coaches, parents and others make more effective and efficient return to play and care decisions,” remarked Marjorie J. Albohm, NATA’s president.
