What is a Certified Athletic Trainer?

Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) are highly qualified, multi-skilled health care professionals who render service or treatment, under the direction of or in collaboration with a physician, in accordance with their education, training and the state's statutes, rules and regulations. As a part of the health care team, services provided by athletic trainers include primary care, injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. The NATA Code of Ethics states the principles of ethical behavior that should be followed in the practice of athletic training.

Every professional and college sports team has athletic trainers who are well trained in the evaluation and treatment of sports injuries. Most sports injuries are minor but if not evaluated or left untreated could become more serious. That’s why athletic trainers are needed. We have one of the most advanced therapy treatment rooms in the country that gives our athletic trainer the tools necessary to keep you in the game.

Athletic Training Therapy Services

New Injury Evaluation▸

In this session our athletic trainer will evaluate any injury that you have. They will provide a comprehensive evaluation including a movement analysis. And then discuss next steps to help treat the injury.

IASTM▸

IASTM stands for instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization and is performed by specially trained healthcare professionals. This hands-on technique uses specifically designed tools to stimulate the breakdown and removal of scar tissue and subsequent regeneration of new and healthy tissue such as in tendons, muscles, fascia and other soft tissue structures allowing us to help improve movement patterns.

Cupping▸

Cupping therapy is the breaking of blood vessels and pulling fluid to the skin. The suction causes the skin and the layers of fascia separate from each other allowing us to release tension and help improve movement patterns. At Hecker Sports Medicine our athletic trainer offers two types of cupping including vacuum cupping which utilizes plastic cups and pod cupping which utilizes silicone cups.

Manual Therapy▸

The focus of manual therapy will be to unlock your movement potential. During these sessions, the athletic trainer will target specific areas with hands on approaches to help improve your overall movement. A common technique used is know as ART (active release technique)

Normatec▸

This modality offers an effective compression therapy to help legs and arms recover from intense exercise or injury. Normatec found a fundamental principle that uses a Sequential Pulse pneumatic waveform. Normatec uses Sequential Pulse Technology, based on normal physiology, that synergistically combines three distinctive massage techniques to speed the body’s normal recovery process. While a healthy athlete’s body eventually will recover from an intense workout, using the Sequential Pulse Technology found in a Normatec Recovery System for just 20 minutes can speed recovery