VMH
ATHLETIC TRAINERS
Certified Athletic Trainers,
on staff at Vernon Memorial
Healthcare’s
Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Department,
have been working with high school athletes
for five years. If you have recently been
a student athlete, or if you have children
in these athletics, or even if you are just
a spectator, you have probably observed athletic
trainers on the sidelines, ready to jump
in to assist an athlete at the first sign
of trouble. The theory is, the sooner an
injury is treated, the faster the athlete
mends.
Athletic trainers work under the direction
of a physician to help reduce injuries by teaching
good training habits, such as stretching and
strengthening. Athletic trainers also work
with injured athletes, wrapping injured limbs,
ankles, and wrists. VMH will soon have three
Athletic Trainers on staff. The Athletic Trainer
covers all of the sporting events going on
throughout the school year, for both girls
and boys.
Rachel Kinsey currently covers Viroqua and
Westby schools. Because she often works into
the evening, Kinsey begins work around midday,
and visits the schools around 3:30 to be available
for practices or to work with athletes on rehabilitation.
She also attends all games.
The most common injuries she sees are ankle
sprains, “I see the same injuries, but
there are different ways in which the injuries
occur. It’s amazing,” she says. “It’s
really nice when the parents show appreciation
or when the athlete is grateful. I had a hockey
player who broke an arm. Three days later the
parents were still thanking me for the treatment
I provided their son.”
Kinsey became interested in athletic training
after she had both ACLs (major leg ligaments)
replaced as a young athlete. Although her first
job as a trainer involved working with adults,
she found she especially liked working with
high school athletes, mostly because of their
enthusiasm.
Nicole Woltmann Robinson, VMH’s other
Athletic Trainer, works with Kickapoo and La
Farge school district athletes. She attends
all the practices, works with the coaches to
determine the limitations of the athletes on
any given day, and communicates with parents
as well. “I tape, teach stretches, evaluate
and test and get the students ready for practice.
I like working with high school students, helping
with injuries and educating them on how to
recover, and I love the variety of activities
involved with my job,” says Robinson.
Certified Athletic Trainers are now a regular
part of high school athletic programs. As students
become adults, many will undoubtedly continue
with athletics in some form. The lessons they
have learned from Certified Athletic Trainers
may be of use throughout their athletic lives.
Athletic Trainers note that there is often
confusion between the roles of Athletic Trainers
and Personal Trainers. In essence, personal
trainers work with persons who wish one-on-one
instruction in WELLNESS and exercise programs,
in contrast to Athletic Trainers who help athletes
reduce injuries from sports activities. |
