The Role of a Certified Athletic Therapist

An Athletic Therapist specializes in the prevention of athletic and orthopedic injuries while offering expertise in specialized rehabilitation techniques. Athletic Therapists design and implement long term programs of posture, flexibility and total conditioning of an injured individual. This total approach to injury management helps decrease potential re-injury and can lead to an overall decrease in the length of disability.

An Athletic Therapist specializes in on site coverage including injury assessment, emergency life support, recognition and management of acute traumatic head and spinal injuries, first aid and preparation for subsequent health care delivery.

An Athletic Therapist specializes in injury prevention skills including musculosketal evaluation, equipment selection and fitting, warm-up and conditioning programs and preventative and supportive taping.

Certified Athletic Therapists also make use of the latest rehabilitative techniques including electrotherapeutic modalities, physical reconditioning and manual therapy techniques.

History

Our forerunner organization the Canadian Athletic Trainers Association, was founded in 1965 by a small group of athletic trainers working for professional hockey and football teams. They recognized the need to enhance their skills in the management of sport injuries. Since then, the National Association and the individual provincial memberships have grown to include certified members, member emeritus and honorary members.

In 1975 the Association became the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA) to reflect a more appropriate image of the professional therapist. The CATA and the individual provincial chapters continue to be at the forefront of the Canadian sports medicine community.

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