SPORTS MEDICINE

WHO ARE ATHLETIC TRAINERS? WHAT DO THEY DO?

"The trainers are just water girls and boys" WRONG.......

The Shelby High School Sports Medicine program is committed to ensuring that student-athletes are being treated with high quality, efficient, and well rounded care. We want you back on the field just as much as you do and we will do our best to make sure that happens.

The sports medicine team works in collaboration with the athletic department, school nurse, physical therapists, and local physicians. The athletic trainer evaluates all athletic injuries and determines athletic status using consultation with physicians when necessary. At the start of each season, coaches and students are instructed as to appropriate use of the athletic training room facility and of proper procedure for notifying athletic trainers of injury. Likewise, students are strongly encouraged to report all sports related injuries to an athletic trainer at the time of injury.

The athletic trainer provides injury prevention, recognition, evaluation, care/treatment, emergency first aid, rehabilitation, documentation, and referral of athletic injuries. The philosophy we are dedicated to is that of care for student athletes first as well as adherence to the NATA code of ethics and professionalism during our pursuit to be the best provider of athletic training services.

Injuries of an athletic nature, occurring during a school-sponsored activity (on or off campus), must be reported to the athletic trainer. Decisions regarding follow-up care, ongoing treatment or rehabilitation, and/or orthopedic consultation are at the discretion of the athletic training staff, in consultation with local physicians when indicated or necessary. In addition, the athletic trainer will make the determination regarding a student’s return to play and participation in daily athletics. Such determination will be made in consultation with local physicians when indicated or necessary.

Injuries of an athletic nature sustained during non-school-sponsored athletic activities are not the responsibility of the athletic trainer and should be directed to the appropriate medical provider. If these injuries affect the playing status of a student athlete, the athletic trainer will make the determination regarding a student’s return to play and participation in daily athletics after consulting with the attending health care provider.

Care is our primary and overriding concern for every student athlete we encounter but especially for the athletes of Shelby High School who are our primary responsibility. Through evaluation we pledge to carefully and thoroughly evaluate each injury we encounter to aid in an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment for all of our athletes. We will always invest the time and effort required to provide excellent and individual treatment to all of our student athletes until they are ready to return to the playing field. Just as a wild animal needs to be returned to its natural environment as quickly as possible, so we will endeavor to return all of our athletes to their athletic events as safely and quickly as possible. We strive to use all technology and equipment available for treatment of injuries sustained by student athletes. We aim to represent Shelby High School, the North Carolina High School League, the Shelby community, and the profession of athletic training with the utmost integrity.

*The purpose of this website is to provide educational information for athletes, parents and coaches. This material is intended for general educational purposes, and does not take the place of a physician, or serve as substitute for medical advice or treatment. Please consult your health care provider if you have questions about a serious illness or injury.*