LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Helping athletes stay in performing condition is one of the main jobs of an athletic trainer, and Erica Anderson is one of those trainers in our area, working with UNOH athletes on-site at Mercy Health St. Rita's. There are a lot of different services that Anderson and her team can bring to the table for athletes at the university.
"We do injury evaluation, first aid, rehabilitation, general health and wellness, and preventative health," said Anderson. "We want to bring our student athletes into the best condition possible, so we want to make sure that they are keeping up with their medical history, and staying up with their family physicians and team doctors and doing what they need to do, but also taking care of their flexibility, rehabbing those injuries when they come in, so when their season comes, they’re ready to roll and be successful."
The athletic training team also works with athletes on old injuries, making sure that issues don't flare up again and prevent new ones.
Anderson says that she chose this career as it was the perfect combination of her interests: "I’ve always just had a passion for helping individuals, kind of that nonprofit feeling and giving back, and I’ve also had a general interest in the medical field - and who doesn’t love sports?" Anderson said. "This just allows you to get the best of three worlds and really bring it into one place."
To become an athletic trainer, someone would need to attend a Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, or CAATE, accredited school and take their undergraduate and masters in athletic training.
Anderson has some advice for those thinking about taking on the career as well. "I would recommend that that they find a mentor and find somebody who they can really learn the ins and outs of the trade, as well as kind of help guide them as they go through those steps," said Anderson.
More information on St. Rita's rehabilitation and therapy services can be found on their website.
