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Aches, pains, strains and sprains. You name it, sports medicine professionals have seen it — and treated it. Athletic trainers and physical therapists help heal bodies of all types, running the gamut from the athlete who is needed back on the soccer field to the grandfather who wants to remain active as he ages. Here’s a look at two careers that help make that possible.

Athletic trainer

Erica Thornton, head athletic trainer at UNCG, earned a bachelor’s degree in health sciences with a concentration in athletic training from The College at Brockport: State University of New York, then got a master’s degree in athletic training from the University of Florida. After gaining certification, she worked as a trainer at Appalachian State University for two years before joining the UNCG staff in 2002. Thornton is licensed by the N.C. Board of Athletic Trainers Examiners and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association.

Thornton has various duties as head athletic trainer. She attends all of the home and away games for the women’s soccer team and most of the home matches for the tennis and golf teams. She handles administrative duties for her team, but also works directly with student-athletes.

During games, she is prepared to assist in case an injury occurs. Off the field, Thornton works with student-athletes to prevent injuries, including training and conditioning techniques, determining rehabilitation programs and handling various administrative duties for the athletic training department.

Thornton suggests that anyone that is interested in becoming an athletic trainer spend time observing one in action. If a person is still interested, she suggests they start researching colleges that offer a degree in athletic training. Local schools offering degrees include UNCG, Elon University and High Point University, which is in the process of developing a master’s program in the field.

Thornton says that the field is growing rapidly — and not just in college and professional athletics. Certified athletic trainers increasingly are found in settings you wouldn’t consider. Trainers work with NASCAR pit crews, industrial manufacturing facilities and even vineyards — anywhere significant manual labor and repetitive physical tasks are commonplace.

Indeed, opportunities in the occupation are many. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 37 percent increase in employment from 2008 to 2018. The median annual salary in the Greensboro-High Point metro area is $40,030, according to the BLS.

“If someone is interested, they should get out there and spend some time observing an athletic trainer,” Thornton said. “All people think is that we are really good at taping ankles, but there is a lot more to it than that.”
 

Physical therapist

Aart Schulenklopper, physical therapist and owner of Greensboro Physical Therapy, earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
He then got his doctorate of physical therapy (DPT) from Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y., and has been practicing since 1993. He launched Greensboro Physical Therapy 10 years ago.

Schulenklopper typically sees about 15 patients a day. Generally, patients suffer from back, neck, shoulder and knee pain, or joint pain after surgery.

“Most orthopedics practices will see 50 percent neck and back patients, 25 percent knee and shoulder patients, and 25 percent foot and ankle patients,” he says.

He assesses the problem and help patients find out why they are in pain or face physical limitations.

Although he sees people of all ages, the majority are experiencing problems because of aging and just want to continue to live active lives, Schulenklopper said.

After diagnosis, Schulenklopper recommends a treatment plan. He said some of his work is hands-on, such as mobilizing joints, where he might oscillate a joint to help it regain lost movement. Other rehab techniques involve strengthening, stretching and, if necessary, using a needle to treat a specific problem.

Schulenklopper says that someone who is thinking about a career in physical therapy should definitely have a strong interest in science. Private practices and local hospitals are always open to having volunteers, he says, and can be a great way to learn more about the field.

There are several local universities that have physical therapy programs, including Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem State and Elon. A doctorate is required to practice.
A complete list of the courses one should take, along with recommended majors for undergraduates to be eligible for graduate school, can be found at  www.apta.org.
Doctorate internships focus on specific areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics and orthopedics.

Schulenklopper says there are plenty of opportunities for physical therapists in hospitals, nursing homes, private practices and other facilities.

“The wonderful thing about physical therapy is that there are so many options after you graduate,” he says, adding that it took him five years of planning to start his practice, which has been rewarding. “It’s about setting my own standards for patient care,” he says.

Like with athletic trainers, employment for physical therapists is expected to grow — at least 30 percent from 2008 to 2018.

They make an annual median salary of $76,090 in the Greensboro-High Point metro area, according to the latest numbers from the BLS.