The study involved a survey of the selection, use, and maintenance of modalities of physical therapy by selected professional athletic trainers of high school, college, and professional athletic teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

No description available.

No description available.

Master of Science / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Fred Bradley / The purpose of this report is to review available literature that identifies various psychological issues collegiate student-athletes may face and how medical professionals, specifically certified athletic trainers (ATCs), are prepared to manage these psychological issues. Considering ATCs are in constant interaction with student-athletes in comparison to other medical professionals it is crucial that research is being completed to make sure athletic trainers are properly caring for student-athlete and acting quickly and appropriately to psychological issues. This report will review research on psychological aspects encountered by athletic trainers in contact with student-athletes, and; furthermore, the ATCs sense of comfort and competence in working with these issues. Questions may arise such as how well the ATC is able to assess the psychological issues and know when to assist or refer these matters, issues which may include training, competence, expectations, and ethical practice. Finally, the review of the research and literature in this area will lead to suggestions and implications for further research and continued understanding of the ATCs role in the psychological aspects of their work with student athletes.

Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC) have a critical role in collegiate athletic settings and are in close contact with athletes. Psychology plays an important role in the lives of athletes, yet ATCs may not have the training to differentiate between normal stress in athletes and real psychological problems. The primary purpose of this study was to describe perceptions of ATCs regarding their qualifications to use psychological techniques when dealing with athletes, in addition to describing accessibility and incidence of referral to psychological services. Two hundred schools from two NCAA Divisions (I and II) were randomly selected and sent a questionnaire to be completed by a certified staff athletic trainer. The results indicated Division I schools have greater access and referrals to sport psychologists than do Division II schools. It was also evident that athletic trainers knew they need more education to properly implement certain psychological techniques when dealing with their athletes.

Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) are often the first to respond to an athletic sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and are expected to administer the highest quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) possible. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between confidence and CPR quality in ATCs. Fifty ATCs completed confidence questionnaires before and after performing a prolonged CPR assessment on a medium-fidelity manikin. CPR data included measures of chest compression and ventilation quality. Data were analyzed to compare confidence levels pre- and post-CPR assessment, as well as to determine the relationship between CPR performance and self-efficacy. A small, negative correlation was found between confidence and CPR performance but performing a prolonged session of CPR did not affect confidence levels. Overall CPR quality was adequate, but ventilations and compression rates were lacking. The relationship between confidence and CPR quality must be explored further to help revise athletic training educational curricula.

No description available.

This study investigated person-situation relations of professional preparation and job classification of secondary school athletic training positions with core job dimensions and affective outcomes within Hackman and Oldham's 1980 Job Characteristics Model. Research focused on which relations show increased affective outcomes; relationships between core job dimensions and affective outcomes; and characteristics of the core job dimensions of task identification, task significance, and skill variety of athletic trainer tasks as defined by the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification, Inc. 1995 Role Delineation Study.

The purpose of this study was to explore the interdepartmental integration between athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches in relation to relationship, communication, collaboration, and education. Forty participants from the NCAA Division I Southern Conference, twenty-eight athletic trainers and twelve strength and conditioning coaches, completed an electronic survey during a two-week period. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive and thematic coding analyses. The results suggested participated athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches were interactive and collaborative. Open-ended responses identified key concepts when athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches communicated and collaborated. A high interaction and collaboration model may be ideal to optimize athletes through rehabilitation while considering injury management, athlete monitoring, training program modifications, and athletic movement correction.

The Graston Technique® is a common treatment that combines a warm-up, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), stretching, and strengthening protocols. The treatment is commonly chosen by clinicians to treat musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine how the Graston Technique® is used in clinical practice by certified athletic trainers to compare to recommendations made by the Graston Technique®. Factors such as time, expense, lack of training in the Graston Technique®, availability of resources, and an overall lack of evidence-based recommendations may have influenced inconsistencies in clinical practice. Although the technique is not always performed according to recommendations, these findings suggest both clinicians and patients report objective and subjective improvements when treating musculoskeletal pathologies regardless of the techniques used.