Date of Graduation

5-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Health, Human Performance and Recreation

Advisor/Mentor

Gallagher, Kaitlin

Committee Member/Reader

McDermott, Brendon

Committee Member/Second Reader

Vandermark, Lesley

Abstract

Athletic training is one of the youngest and most rapidly growing professions in the medical field. One of the most prevalent problems with this young profession is the lack of information in the literature about injury, illness, and symptom reporting throughout the course of their career. The purpose of this study was to determine the self-reported prevalence of clinical-related injury, and musculoskeletal disorders/dysfunctions in current athletic training students. I hypothesized that the low back, neck, hand, and knee would be the most frequently affected body areas. Athletic training students from the University of Arkansas were recruited to take this survey. Descriptive statistical analyses of these responses were used to understand symptom, illness, and job stressors. The most commonly reported symptom was lower back pain (77%), followed by neck and shoulder pain (56%). Four of 14 (28.6%) people who reported lower back symptoms said that it also affected their work. Inadequate sleep, long work weeks, and long work days were the three top contributors to mental stressors. We also found in investigating environmental stressors that by grouping job uncertainty, inadequate staffing, and workload greater than usual all could stem from a similar issue of workplace culture. This information can be used to create educational competencies for students to decrease injury and reduce musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace.

Keywords

Clinical-related injuries; musculoskeletal; athletic training students; athletic training programs; NATA; injury prevention techniques

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