Exit Interview

Content:

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

What is the best way for an athletic trainer to treat an injury?

1. Knowing the anatomy of the injured area

2. Proper initial diagnosis of the injury

3. An athletic trainer can best treat an injury through rehabilitation exercises

Rehabilitation exercises are the best way to treat an injury because it is a way of treatment that is flexible and can adjust to each individual athletes injury. Rehabilitation exercises can change based on reevaluation which check what work for an athlete and what exercises better suit the injured athlete. It sets the course for an athletes recovery, focusing on strengthening the muscles around the injured area and returning those muscles and ligaments to their state prior to the injury.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

The process involved with coming up with this answer came with hands-on experience while working with my mentor. I observed that initial diagnosis was important but in most cases they were not always 100% accurate. Rehab was something that fit each athletes needs and at the same time aided in the treatment of the athlete.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

Knowing which exercises suited which injuries was a struggle for me. Researching the effects of each exercise and what muscles and ligaments were targeted with each resolved the issue and allowed me to develop a rehab schedule for an athletes injury.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

My mentor Brittany Menchaca provided crucial information, hands-on experience working with athletes, and suggestions for research topics.

 Arnheim's principles of athletic training is a textbook providing the technical aspects of athletic training that I referred to when trying to make connections from mentorship.

 American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons provided articles with rehabilitation exercises and post injury treatments.