What is a Certified Athletic Therapist?
A Certified Athletic Therapist is a health care professional who provides effective solutions to recover from physical injury and promotes health, active living. They are designated as C.A.T.(C), referring to them as a Certified Athletic Therapist (Canadian).
Certified Athletic Therapists provide what type of care?
In addition to using a variety of treatment modalities, the Certified Athletic Therapist provides individualized recovery and rehabilitation programs. A key component is patient education about exercise, reconditioning, awareness of injury prevention measures and how to avoid reoccurrence. Counselling in lifestyle modification helps the patient return to enhanced activities of daily life.
Who can benefit from Athletic Therapy? Everyone can! If you have an ache or a pain, an Athletic Therapist will assess your condition and provide the best care for your specific injury. Our Athletic Therapists are determined to return our patients to work or play in better condition than they were prior to their injury . Whether you have an injury or want to prevent an injury from occurring, an Athletic Therapist can help.
For somebody who is already suffering from an injury a traditional rehabilitation approach will take place. For the individual who is interested in prevention, activity-specific training, postural correction or improving mechanics may be the best approach. However, everyone is individual and has specific needs which will be addressed by the Athletic Therapist.
What is the Athletic Therapist Association of British Columbia?
The Athletic Therapist Association of British Columbia(ATABC) is the professional association that governs the practice of all Certified Athletic Therapists in the province of BC. The ATABC is a recognized chapter of the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association. The ATABC's Code of Ethics ensures that all of its members are offering safe and effective treatment to all of their clients and patients.
How does one become a Certified Athletic Therapist?
All professional members of the ATABC have passed university and college courses specified by the CATA. After having completed an internship (1200 hours) comprised of both clinical and field work, a stringent written and practical set of national exams must also be successfully completed.
Certified Athletic Therapists participate in an annual mandatory maintenance of certification program. This ensures that all Athletic Therapists demonstrate that they continually remain current with the developments in their professional field. Athletic Therapy is one of the very few Canadian health care professions that require annual professional development of its members!
The national and provincial chapters work together to oversee the certification process, the continuing education, and professional development of its members. The CATA is a leader in an active approach to health care in Canada and over the years, has gained credibility and professional status while becoming widely recognized throughout the health care community.
What is the benefit to you?
By specifying the services of a Certified Athletic Therapist, you can take advantage of the specialized rehabilitative therapy that can help you recover quickly and completely from your injuries. The focus of a Certified Athletic Therapist is on a multifaceted approach to the client's injuries. In addition to encouraging an early return to normal activities, Certified Athletic Therapists take a professional approach in designing and implementing long term programs of postural correction, flexibility and total conditioning of the injured individual. This complete approach to injury management helps decrease potential re-injury and can lead to an overall decrease in the length of disability.
The type of service is unique. It will provide you with a choice, as to which professional is best able to rehabilitate your injury in the shortest possible time.
Just the Facts
- 94% of the clients polled felt their treatment was successful
- 100% of the clients would recommend their family or friends to seek treatment by an Athletic Therapist
- 92% of the clients were satisfied with their therapist
- 90% of the clients were satisfied with their treatment
- 100% of the clients felt they received good value for their money
- 56% of the clients noticed significant improvement after three (3) visits
- 76% of the clients noticed significant improvement after four ( 4) visits
- 62% of the clients paid less than $500 to complete the treatment plan
- 72% of the clients would like Athletic Therapy added to their benefit plan
- Average number of treatments before discharge is 12.8
Results have been compiled from client surveys received by clinics across Ontario who provide Athletic Therapy services and participate in an ongoing study by the OATA to provide outcome analysis.
