Utah Students Are Being Kept Safe and Healthy With the Help of Intermountain Athletic Trainers

Certified athletic trainers (ATC) at local high schools have become more and more important as sports have become faster and more competitive. Intermountain Health is now partnering with 57 high schools in Utah and Idaho to offer certified athletic trainers for all sports.

“With what we now know about concussions and other serious injuries, our work has become vital to sports programs,” said John Stutznegger, certified athletic trainer at Intermountain Health. “We use our medical expertise to give best care to students, but also work with coaches to prevent injuries in the first place”

A study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics says the presence of athletic trainers in the secondary schools lowers overall injury rates, improves diagnosis and return‐to‐play decisions, and reduces the risk for recurrent injuries.

Having access to a medical professional on the sideline, and during school hours is a way to increase safety. There are several key things an athletic trainer provides to a school which focus on the wellbeing of student athletes.

In recent years, as there’s been a bigger focus on youth mental health, trainers have been able to help young athletes who are experiencing a mental health crisis. There have been several cases where trainers have been able to get athletes the help they need.

“We work with these kids every day and build a lot of trust, so they feel safe telling us if there’s an issue,” said Stutznegger. “We also receive training to spot someone who might be experiencing mental health crisis because it’s not always obvious.”

In other rare cases trainers have been on hand during major medical emergencies with students and have rendered aid until an ambulance arrived.

Injury prevention is a major part of an athletic trainer’s work, and they often guide coaches on habits and drills that can achieve those goals. Advising coaches on proper warm up and cool down can go a long way in helping athletes stay healthy.

A great example of this is the summertime heat when many athletes are preparing for the season. An athletic trainer can track outside temperatures to determine if activity times need to be adjusted, or the number of water breaks increased.

An ATC is vital to quickly recognizing and treating sport related injuries and illness.  Whether it’s in a practice or a game, diagnosing an injury quickly has shown to produce best possible outcomes for injured athletes.

Many states, including Utah require a medical professional to evaluate any athlete suspected of having a concussion and implement a concussion protocol before they can return to play. That’s another reason having an athletic trainer on the sidelines is a crucial part of player safety.

Educating coaches, athletes, and parents is another part of an athletic trainers’ duties. Having the medical knowledge to identify an issue and to direct athletes to proper resources. An ATC also educates athletes on proper nutrition and hydration which can directly impact their performance.

Athletic trainers can also help with an athlete’s rehabilitation during school hours in some cases. Eliminating the need for the athlete to leave school, or for parents to take time off work to pick them up.

For more information on Intermountain Health’s sports medicine programs, click here.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.