Athletico Physical Therapy Educates Helmet-Safety Best Practices for National Athletic Training Month

Each year, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 3.8 million people suffer from concussions during sports and recreational activities. Because this year's NATM theme is Your Protection is Our Priority, Athletico's athletic trainers have developed sport-specific helmet tips designed to ensure parents and athletes are educated on how to wear helmets that fit comfortably and provide maximum protection.

Baseball and softball players account for 45 percent of all facial injuries in common sports. Athletes wearing properly fitted helmets can significantly reduce the risk of these types of injuries. So this spring when selecting a baseball or softball batting helmet, Athletico athletic trainers suggest:

• Obtain helmet size by measuring the circumference of the head, ½" to 1" above the eyebrow
• Ensure the helmet fits snug around the entire head
• Make sure there are no gaps/spaces between the head and helmet
• Do not wear anything under the batter's helmet, such as a baseball hat
• Line up the ear holes with the athlete's ears, ensuring the helmet is not sitting too high or low
• Confirm the athlete is able to see forward and side-to-side without obstruction
• Try the helmet on with damp or wet hair to ensure gapping does not occur

Helmets provide crucial protection for a variety of sports all year long. Athletico has also developed helmet fitting tips for football, lacrosse and hockey, which can be found at www.Athletico.com/helmetfitting.

In addition, Athletico will increase awareness of the athletic trainer profession and showcase the value its more than 375 athletic trainers add in preventing and treating injuries for an array of active individuals.

"Athletic trainers play an important role in keeping people safe and healthy on the athletic field, in clinics and the workplace," said Mark Kaufman, president and founder of Athletico Physical Therapy. "These individuals work tirelessly to educate the public on injury prevention and get patients back on their feet when they suffer from injuries."

At Athletico, Athletic Trainers work with physical therapists to help provide comprehensive care for patients on and off-the-field. Off-the-field patients can address any concerns with a complimentary screening that includes a detailed subjective report of all musculoskeletal complaints and assess movement and strength impairments.

NATM is coordinated in conjunction with the National Athletico Training Association. Athletico has been an active supporter of the National Athletic Training Association since 1991.

About Athletico Physical Therapy
Athletico Physical Therapy provides the highest quality orthopedic rehabilitation services to communities, employers and athletes in over 370 locations throughout nine states with more than 4000 employees. Athletico is committed to our patients and referring physicians through our patient-centric focus, positive work environment, attention to quality and high standard of care. Athletico measures patient outcomes and satisfaction and is dedicated to continuous improvement. Athletico was named #1 Workplace in Chicago, "Best Physical Therapy Practice in the Nation" by ADVANCE magazine, Top Workplace in the Nation, and has been recognized as a leader in employee volunteering and charitable giving. Our services include physical and occupational/hand therapy, workers' compensation, women's health therapy, concussion management and athletic training. For more information, or to schedule a free injury screening, please visit www.athletico.com and follow us on Twitter at @Athletico.

CONTACT:  Cassie Burica | Weber Shandwick
312-988-2199 | [email protected]

SOURCE Athletico Physical Therapy

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