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Ijayla Banks

Ms. Snyder

Capstone - Final Draft

April 17, 2019

Ijayla Banks
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Ms.Syder

Capstone- Final Draft

April 17, 2019

The 6th Man

The percentage of student-athletes encountering an injury while playing some

sort of sport is at a high 90%. Ever imagined playing a sport while injured? Right now,

54% of student-athletes are playing injured. If there were more athletic trainers (AT’s)

around, 54% of the student-athletes playing with injuries would be cut in half. AT’s help

a student-athlete by indicating where the student is feeling pain. As a result, athletic

trainers either tape, wrap or put together an exercise to help with the problem area.

Many people underestimate the responsibilities athletic trainers have on an everyday

basis. Without athletic trainers attending to student-athletes injuries, the injuries could

get more serious like life-threatening. The roles and responsibilities of an athletic trainer

best benefit athletes by screening for potential injuries, improving flexibility, strength and

cardiovascular fitness and providing preventative measures for athletes.

On a daily basis, athletic trainers have many responsibilities; one of them are

screening each patient or client for potential injuries. The most common screen

procedures are pre-participation, physical exams, musculoskeletal flexibility assignment,

body composition assignment, and cardiovascular fitness assignment. The pre-

participation exam has many different reasons on why it's needed. One of the reasons

athletic trainers use this scanning is to find any medical or physical problems that could
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potentially make playing a sport a risk. Student-Athletes have to take this exam before

they can physically be apart of a sport. Athletes may need to retake this exam after an

injury to see if they need additional treatment to get clearance to continue playing a

sport. The pre-participation exam consists of having searched through medical history

and having a physical examination. After this screening is over, the student will receive

results that can be out of these five options which are: “full participation, partial or

restricted participation, re-evaluation after treatment, referral for further testing, or no

participation in the activity” as stated by (Stanford Children). A physical exam screening

includes checking vital signs and examining body parts. The way athletic trainers

observe a student-athlete is by performing functional tasks like running, throwing, and

reaching down. “Observation and palpation for any detectable changes; joint and

muscle function assessment; review of systems; stress testing; joint play; assessments

for neurological and vascular abnormalities; and special tests designed to detect

selective tissue or organ involvement” (NATA Research). Out of pre-participation,

physical exams, musculoskeletal flexibility assignment, body composition assignment,

and cardiovascular fitness assignment these screening are very important; they

determine if it’s safe for a student-athlete to continue playing or start playing a sport.

Another responsibility athletic trainers encounter improving flexibility, strength

and cardiovascular fitness. Flexibility has the potential to move a joint in the complete

range of motion. It is stated that it “is arguably the most neglected component of fitness

among the general population ”(Gummelt). The main components that could make a
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difference in flexibility are muscle elasticity, length, joint structure, and nervous system.

Athletic trainers put together static stretching to improving flexibility. Some static

stretching includes; shoulder stretching, lower back stretching, growing stretching,

Achilles stretching, and there's many more. Shoulder stretching consists of reaching up

to the sky and locking fingers together this exercise could be performed either sitting or

standing. To do the lower back stretch the athlete has to lay on his or her back and has

to place their sole of the foot on their left thigh while holding right knee with his or her

left hand. To stretch a groin the athlete must stand with both feet about two meters

apart and toes must be pointing forward. The athlete will need to slowly move all their

weight on the chosen leg by bending knee. To perform Achilles stretching, the athlete

must have a hard surface like a wall, the wall will allow the athlete to lean on it as

athlete lower his or her body down while both heels are flat. By having a great flexibility

training program the student-athletes everyday practice will be being completed with

ease. “The best ways to improve both strength and flexibility is just to stick to a program

that promotes high-quality movements instead of moving the most weight as possible,”

as stated by Travis Faulker an athletic trainer at Lee High School. Another positive thing

about having great flexibility training is that it prevents injuries and decrease soreness

and stiffness in student-athletes. Athletic trainers usual schedule a student-athlete to do

cardiovascular fitness for the following reasons either to help control the student

athlete’s blood pressure, to help student-athletes lose a little weight to maintain the best

weight limit, or to increase student athlete ‘s energy and stamina. When a student-

athlete gets tired, they are more likely to get frustrated with mistakes or get injured

because the athlete's movements are no longer efficient. Athletic trainers try to involve
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the most ideal exercises to a fitness plan. One ideal exercise is movements that work

the large muscles of the body. Another ideal exercise is having a rhythmic and none

stopping plan that challenges your heart and lungs to work harder. “Athletes typically

use three training methods to improve their cardiovascular fitness slow to moderate-

intensity distance training, moderate to high-intensity interval training, high-intensity

continuous exercise” (University of). Using all of these responsibilities like helping with

improving flexibility, strength and cardiovascular fitness an athletic trainer makes these

exercises to make the student athlete’s experience successful.

The final and most important responsibility athletic trainers encounter are

providing preventative injury measures for athletes. Athletic trainers providing

preventative injury measure by making the athletes suit up. Suit up simply means for the

student-athlete to wear outer protection to protect the athlete, playing a sport like

football players must have two knee pads, two hip pads, one tailbone pad, and one set

of shoulder pads. Another way athletic trainers are providing preventative injury

measures for athletes is by taping. Taping a student-athlete injury helps to apply

pressure to the injury and makes swelling do down. The most common area that gets

taped is the ankle. “Ankle sprains are common injuries that affect athletes of all ages

and in all sporting activities. An estimated 28 000 ankle injuries occur in the United

States each day” (PMC). There are many different ways you can tape an area. “Using

strips of tape that cross a joint to limit normal or excessive movement” (Cabrillo). Before

the athletic trainer can tape a student-athlete, they have to spray the area down with

adhesive. An adhesive spray will make sure the taping will remain in place. The athletic
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trainers then place the pre-wrap three quarter away from the ankle then they must move

on to the foot the heel. The heel is the only gap there should be in taping the ankle.

In conclusion, as a result of athletic trainers either tape, wrap or put together an

exercise to help with the problem area. Many people don’t realize all the responsibilities

athletic trainers have on an everyday basis. Without athletic trainers helping with

injuries, the injuries could get more serious like life-threatening. By thoroughly

explaining responsibilities like screening for potential injuries, improving flexibility,

strength and cardiovascular fitness and providing preventative measures athletic

trainers play a virtual role in the lives of student-athletes.

Works Cited

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US). Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral

Health Services. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration (US); 2014. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No.

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57.) Chapter 4, Screening and Assessment. Available from:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207188/., Accessed 10 Apr. 2019.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH, STANFORD. "Preparticipation Physical Examinations."

STANFORD CHILDREN'S HEALTH, edited by STANFORD CHILDREN'S HEALTH,

STANFORD CHILDREN'S HEALTH, 2019,

www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=preparticipation-physical-

examinations-1-4557., Accessed 10 Apr. 2019.

Faulker, Travis. Personal Interview. Apr. 2019.

Gummelt, Dominique. "The Impact of Flexibility Training on Performance." ACE, edited

by Dominique Gummelt, Dominique Gummelt, 13 Aug. 2015,

www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/professional/expert-

articles/5598/the-impact-of-flexibility-training-on-performance. Accessed 10 Apr.

2019.

Kaminski, Thomas, et al. "Journal Of Athletic Training." National Athletic Trainers'

Association Position Statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of

Ankle Sprains in Athletes, July 2013, doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-48.4.02,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3718356/., Accessed 10 Apr. 2019.

Kay, Susan. Athletic Taping, Padding , And Bracing. Susan Kay, 2018, pp. 1-29,

www.cabrillo.edu/academics/athletics/training/documents/Chapter6_000.pptx.,

Accessed 10 Apr. 2019.