What are Athletic Trainers?
Athletic Trainers (ATs) are board certified, state licensed, multi-skilled health care professionals who render treatment under the direction/in collaboration with a physician. As a part of the health care team, services provided by athletics trainers include but are not limited to:
- Primary Care
- Injury & Illness Prevention
- Wellness Promotion & Education
- Emergent Care and First Aid
- Examination and Clinical Diagnosis
- Therapeutic Intervention & Rehabilitation of Injuries and Medical Conditions
Why are Athletic Trainers Important?
- Immediate Care at Your Fingertips
- Staff Member present at games and practices
- The first one onsite for an injury or other emergency
- Facilitates and stabilizes patient to help expedite transport as EMS arrives
- Helps Cut Down on Costs
- Evaluations and assessments can save trips to the Emergency Room (ER)
- Use of modalities and therapeutic interventions can save time and costs on seeing different specialist for an injury
- Continuity of Care
- Daily Rapport & Check-ins
- ATs get to know the student-athlete’s personalities, quirks, and habits that doctors may not pick up on
Policies
Clearance Notes:
If your child sees a physician at any time for an injury, a clearance note MUST be obtained and submitted by that same physician in order for return to sport. The student-athlete will not be able to participate in anything until our Athletic Trainer has a copy of this note.
People who CANNOT clear your child for sport
| Physical Therapist | Nurse |
| Chiropractors | Dentist |
| Parents/Primary Caregivers |
Concussion Protocol:
Safety in Youth Sports Act requires that if a concussion is suspected, the student-athlete MUST be pulled from sport and CANNOT RETURN until cleared by a physician who is trained to assess and diagnose concussions.
For more information regarding Safety in Youth Sports act please click here
Physician Affiliations
As employees of UPMC, we hvae hundreds of physcians and resources at our fingertips. Having communication with TriRivers and UPMC, we can typically get your child an appointment within 24-48 hours from the time of injury and/or referral.
About UPMC Sports Medicine
UPMC Sports Medicine provides world-class care to help treat and prevent sports-related injuries and training programs to improve all aspects of athletic performance for professional athletes and young athletes. Whether you are young or old, professional or amature, UPMC Sports Medicine has the expertis, advanced technology, and services to make a difference in your care.
We value our partnership with high school athletes and their families, providing more than 100 certified athletic trainers to schools in the region. Our athletic trainers are on the sidelines managing injuries and providing emergency care, as well as delivering therapeutic interventions and rehabilitation to help athletes safely return to their sports. Thank you for being a part of the UPMC Sports Medicine family. To learn more, visit UPMCSportsMedicine.com.
Our Services:
- ACL Program
- Athletic Training
- Center for Young Athletes
- Concussion Services
- Imaging Services
- Physician Services
- Physical Therapy
- Sports Nutrition
- Sports Performance