What is Athletic Therapy:
Certified Athletic Therapists are best known for their quick-thinking on-field emergency care of professional and elite athletes. The first to respond when someone gets hurt, they are experts at injury assessment and rehabilitation. It’s that same mix of on-site care and active rehabilitation skills that makes Athletic Therapists so effective in treating the musculoskeletal (muscles, bones, and joints) injuries of all Canadians, whether on the field or in the clinic
Certified Athletic Therapists are experts in treating acute and chronic injuries to muscles, bones, and joints. Athletic Therapists rehabilitate injuries using the Sports Medicine Model, resulting in a faster recovery, a decreased chance of further injury, and fewer visits to a healthcare professional. Certified Athletic Therapists are recognized by the credential CAT(C).
An Athletic Therapist's specialized training allows them to drasticly reduce recovery times of acute injuries, that are a result of a physically traumatic event. This is done through immediate injury response, injury identification, treatment and exercise training to rehabilitate the injured structures and strengthen the corresponding muscles around the area to prevent re-injury.
Chronic injuries that have occured over time can can threaten peoples ability participate in physical activities and restrict their ability to lead active lifestyles. Athletic Therapists are trained to discover the route causes of chronic injuries in order to treat the injury through a variety of hands on techniques, while also teaching patients rehabilitative and preventative exercises.
Athletic Therapy originates from the sporting world, with a focus on assessing and treating athletes. The same principles and techniques also make Athletic Therapy very effective in treating the injuries sustained by everyday Canadians, including:
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Common injuries from daily activities (ie. falls, trips, sprains, strains and concussions)
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Chronic and recurring conditions (ie. back pain, sciatica, tennis/golfer's elbow, shin splints, and jumper's knee)
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pre-surgery and post-surgery (ie. knee replacements, shoulder surgeries and ACL reconstruction)
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Workplace and motor vehicle accident injuries