Athletic Training and the United States Army

1. Athletic Training and the United States Army Sallie Wallace, MAEd, ATC/L Athletic Training Program Coordinator Certified Athletic Trainer – Forward Program Fort Jackson

2. The Same, OUR SOLDIERS ARE ATHLETES! But Different

3. Program Rationale • Physical Readiness is critical to mission success • ATs Prevent and Manage acute musculoskeletal injuries • Keep Soldier athletes in the fight and quickly get them back in the fight when they are injured • Develop and monitor continuing rehabilitation programs within the battalions • Develop and brief injury prevention efforts • with approval from the BDE supervisor and the clinical supervisor • Function as a force multiplier, Complement, not replace, medical services

4. AT Program at Fort Jackson • 12 full-time Athletic trainers(9 BCT, 2 AIT, 1 PTRP) • 2 full-time AT Coordinators hired to implement program, assist execution, facilitate communication at all levels, supervise and mentor BN ATs. • One of the full-time AT Coordinators also provided athletic training services to the United States Army Consolidated Drill Sergeant School

5. AT Resources • Dedicated Athletic Training Room in each battalion • Brigade PT available for consultation/referral • X-ray, bone scan, MRI, etc • Rehabilitation Equipment provided • (electrical stimulation unit, medicine balls, physioballs, etc) • Supplies • (athletic tapes, tubigrip, theraband, etc)

6. What are the ATs doing? • Providing foot care before and after road marches • Educating Cadre and New Soldiers in self-care and injury prevention techniques • Attending and participating in Battalion Staff Meetings • Injury trends • Injury prevention updates • Total number of Soldiers seen • Serving as the SME(subject matter expert) in injury prevention and treatment • Assisting TMC(Troop Medical Clinic) Medic in sick call • Determining the severity of musculoskeletal injuries and taking appropriate action • Developing and overseeing Rehabilitation PT programs (dry land and aquatics) • Attending training events • Attempt to attend as many high-risk events as possible

7. Scope of Work • Early recognition • Initial assessment • Immediate care • On-site injury management • Treatments and rehabilitations • Assist cadre with physical training for Soldiers on profiles per TC 3-22.20 • Injury Prevention and Cadre Education • Rehabilitation PT • Data collection and injury surveillance

8. Challenges in setting • Adapting to Army standards • Emphasis on managing stress injuries • Workload (1400-1500 Soldiers in a full fill) • Limited in number of Soldiers that can be seen in a day • Fast turn over rate(each cycle last 10 weeks in the BCT setting) • Learning PRT standards and allowed reconditioning exercises • Chain of Command • Army life in general • At Drill Sgt School – unique injuries due to prior deployments and chronic injury history

9. Benefits of the Military Setting • Non-Traditional hours • No overtime and the possibility of no weekend work • Ability to refer for diagnostic imaging when needed • Medically out of the ordinary • Personally and professionally challenging • Working with a unique population

10. Conclusion • We are committed to the unit mission, and we are here to help!