Kaitlyn Kupiec
@kaitlynkupiec
Imagine you’re in the final minutes of a championship basketball game where every pass and every shot carries the weight of glory or defeat. Fueled by adrenaline and the desire for victory, you make a split-second decision to plant your foot and pivot. Your knee twists forcefully, putting immense pressure on your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This sudden motion causes your ACL to stretch beyond its limits, tearing under the strain.
An athletic trainer will make their way to the field or the court to assess and formulate an immediate care plan by taking steps to immobilize the injured area, alleviate pain and reduce swelling.
Following a surgical procedure to reconstruct the ACL, a physical therapist is tasked with rehabilitation. With a great understanding of anatomy and physiology, physical therapists design exercises focused on targeting the surrounding muscles, building strength to provide knee stability and regaining full range of motion.
But what distinguishes an athletic trainer from a physical therapist? Their professional roles, areas of expertise and the populations they serve can be similar. While both professions focus on optimizing physical well-being and performance, they do so through distinct approaches and specializations.
“Athletic training focuses on preventative, emergency and rehabilitative care for athletes,” said Matt Fiorentino, a fourth-year student in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program at Springfield College. “They also handle many return-to-play considerations when an athlete is coming back from an injury.”
Athletic trainers are typically found in a variety of settings, ranging from collegiate, high school and professional sports. While their presence on the sidelines of sporting events is widely recognized, their role extends beyond the athletic field in clinical, industrial and military settings.
“Athletic trainers are important because they are trained to provide care in situations where an athlete gets hurt during a game or practice,” said Fiorentino. “Whether it would be properly cleaning and covering small wounds or handling a catastrophic injury, an athletic trainer is medically trained to handle the situation appropriately and effectively using the best practice.”
Athletic trainers must be able to show compassion to their patients on the road to recovery. A big part of being an athletic trainer is dealing with the psychological impact of the injury. A great trainer will motivate their patients to persevere while instilling a sense of determination to overcome challenges and continue striving towards their goal.
“The biggest misconception about athletic training is that a lot of people think we’re there to rule the athletes out,” said Joe DeSimone, a fourth-year student in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program at Springfield College. “We’re here to help the athletes and we’re trying to do everything possible to make you play.”
A physical therapist must clearly explain treatment programs, motivate patients and listen to patients’ concerns to provide effective therapy. Based on their knowledge and training, physical therapists can help patients with injuries and chronic health conditions to regain their motion, manage their pain and improve their quality of life.
“Physical therapy is a broad topic,” said Veronica Fulgieri, a graduate student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Springfield College. “It focuses mostly on the way your body moves while healing through non-pharmacological techniques, including exercise, soft tissue mobilization or therapeutic modalities.”
Physical therapists can practice in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, home health agencies, outpatient rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, schools and medical clinics.
In year one of the DPT program at Springfield College, students have the opportunity to participate in the on-campus community mobility clinic. The clinic makes use of academic community services for members of the community facing limited access to rehabilitation and wellness care due to economic and social factors.
Springfield College has collaborated with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors to connect individuals or community programs with an Arthritis Foundation Walk With Ease program.
The six-week program is designed to help individuals make walking an important part of their everyday lives. Walk With Ease is a self-guided or group program that can help individuals reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis, increase balance, strength and walking pace, build confidence in their ability to be physically active and improve their overall health.
Many physical therapists and athletic trainers partner across various healthcare environments to care for physically active patients. They play essential roles in keeping athletes safe and work together to provide the best support.
“Athletic trainers and physical therapists are starting to work with each other more,” said DeSimone. “We could work together to help physical therapists get patients while we’re still working with the rest of the team on the field.”
Photo courtesy of Emma Raccaro