Essential to healthcare and players

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When the term “athletic trainer” is mentioned, many people immediately picture personal trainers controlling their client’s diet, workout routine and pushing them to the next level in their fitness plan.

But athletic trainers see a far different scope of work and the month of March is National Athletic Trainer Month, hoping to bring awareness to trainers being “Essential for Healthcare.”

“That’s not our job (personal trainer),” Pampa High School Athletic Trainer Shenne Lewellen said. “It’s to prevent, evaluate and rehabilitate injuries. We really want to be the first ones to see the injuries from the sidelines. 

“Because when you see it happen, you can diagnose it a lot easier because you can see the mechanics of the injury. You get a better evaluation of the injury.”

Trainers can also treat and rehabilitate injuries on-site, rather than sending them to a physician off-campus.

“Depending on how bad it is, I can get them back sooner with my rehabilitation process and we can do the process in-house instead of sending them to a physical therapist,” Lewellen said. “Then we can get them back on the field and prevent injuries.”

Lewellen may be able to tell if there is an issue or injury just by the posture and their walking.

“We can tell from that or, even before they have issues, by looking at how they throw, walk, etc.” Lewellen said. “That’s how that prevention comes in.”

Lewellen usually has around 15 student trainers working under, her learning the ins and outs of athletic training.

“They help distribute water, wound injuries, ice, rest, compression, head injuries, etc.” Lewellen said. “They call me for any injury and I’ll guide them through. In the class, I teach about different injuries. They can’t diagnose an injury, but they may suspect something from what they’ve seen in class.”

Trainers have an established relationship with doctors in the community and can be a pipeline of information, because they witnessed first-hand the injury happening.

“I can encourage parents to take their kids to the doctor and suggest which one to go to,” Lewellen said. “A lot of the parents may send them to the general practitioner, who a lot of the times may not help them. 

“So I will steer them toward an orthopedic doctor like Dr. David Hampton or if it’s a concussion I can get them in with Dr. Kevin Sieck. Even if they don’t need to see a doctor, I can educate the parents on what to do for that injury.”

Lewellen added she has a good relationship with not only doctors and coaches, but she is the cheerleader for all of her athletes.

“I don’t have any kids of my own, but the athletes are my kids,” Lewellen said. “Whether they’re injured or not, I’m cheering for them.

“I’m their biggest fan. I want to see them succeed. Some of my happiest moments are seeing the kid, after having a season-ending injury, rehabilitating them and seeing them back on the field and competing again. That’s the greatest feeling as an athletic trainer to have.”

For more information on athletic trainers at the High Schoo, call 806-669-4800.