What’s the difference between an athletic trainer and a physical therapist?
Physical therapists are primarily responsible for rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. While physical therapists work with orthopedic patients, they also work closely with a number of patients with medical conditions that athletic trainers don’t traditionally rehabilitate, including stroke, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury patients. While athletic trainers rehabilitate mostly orthopedic injuries, they are also responsible for the prevention and immediate care of injuries and illnesses, providing a continuum of care. The traditional setting for an athletic trainer is one where he or she is on-site at the time of injury, treats it immediately, and continues throughout the rehabilitation process with the patient.
