NATA Now

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hosted an interassociation summit Jan. 25-26 to enhance the organization and administration of health care services for intercollegiate student-athletes.

Experts in sports medicine, athletics administration and risk management convened in Dallas to discuss and identify best practices in infrastructure, administrative services and the provision of sports medicine services at the collegiate level.

The NATA Board of Directors and the members of the AT Strategic Alliance approved the adoption or endorsement of the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) with the Children and Youth (ICF-CY) updates. Each entity of the alliance is responsible for implementation of the language into the documents and processes they control.

The February NATA News features an injury infographic handout on dental injury, based on the new NATA position statement “Preventing and Managing Sports-Related Dental and Oral Injuries.” Approximately 39 percent of dental injuries in the United States are sports related, and while the National Federation of State High School Associations and National Collegiate Athletic Associated require mouthguards for some sports, all

The February NATA News cover story examines the occupational health setting and the athletic trainers who are caring for this unique active population. In it, Jose Morales, MA, ATC, CEAS, a safety specialist at the Toyota plant in San Antonio, details the ins and outs of injury prevention as a way to reduce costs and improve employee well-being.

“The best way to treat an injury is to prevent an injury,” he said.

H.R. 302: The Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act (formerly H.R. 921) was passed by voice vote in the House of Representatives, only three days after being reintroduced Friday, Jan. 6.

This is the second time this piece of legislation has reached this milestone. It was first passed by the House on Sept. 12, 2016, a momentous occasion for NATA and the athletic training profession. After being approved by the House, H.R. 921 did not make it to the Senate floor for consideration before Congress adjourned for 2016, so a reintroduction of the bill was required.

Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Cedric Richmond (D-LA) reintroduced H.R. 302 (formerly H.R. 921), the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act, to the House of Representatives. All NATA members are encouraged to contact their representatives to ask him/her to support the bill. Visit the Federal Legislative Alert Center to contact your representative. We anticipate H.R. 302 could be voted on by the House as early as next week, so we need to gain cosponsors and support as quickly as possible.

By Ellen K. Payne, PhD, ATC, EMT, David C. Berry, PhD, AT, ATC, and S. Robert Seitz, MEd, RN, NRP

The January NATA News featured a story on the successful 2016 Safety in Football Campaign held by the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association toward the beginning of the football season.

By Shelly Jones, ATC

It seems as though America’s pastime is on its way to becoming a little safer for those who pitch. There has been a renewed focus on pitch count associated with baseball and softball. The research is skewed toward baseball and the throwing mechanics associated with pitchers. Softball pitching is also being investigated as well, but it seems that the mechanics associated with the underhand release is less harmful to the human body than the overhead release. As stated earlier “it seems” like steps are being taken. If nothing else, awareness and education has been enhanced.