Athletico Health Resources

Imagine you are at a high school football game watching your son play when you see that hit. The one that you know doesn’t look right. His head was down and he drove right into someone, or the one that he went helmet to helmet with an opponent, or even the one where his head bounced off the ground. The next thing you know, the school’s athletic trainer calls you down from the stands to tell you that your son has suffered a concussion.

The topic of concussions is on the rise. Concussions don’t just happen to football players, they can occur in any sport. Knowing some of the signs and symptoms to watch out for and what to do for them is essential to the health of your son or daughter. (more…)

The Athletic Training Program has been a cornerstone for Athletico Physical Therapy since Mark Kaufman founded the company 22 years ago. Affiliations now include all of the major professional teams in Chicago, as well as thirteen colleges, seventy nine high schools, the US Soccer Federation and multiple elite affiliates. The most senior of Athletico’s 200+ athletic trainers (ATs) is Tony Garofalo, ATC, who has 43 years of experience including his service as the Chicago Cubs Head Athletic Trainer from 1977 though 1986. During his illustrious career Tony has worked in the high school, college, professional, elite, and clinical settings and is a member of the Illinois Athletic Trainers Association (IATA), St. Benedict University, and St. Louis University Halls of Fame.  He is also a founding partner of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS). We caught up with Tony and asked him about the highlights of his career. (more…)

First off, thanks for making it past the title and not assuming that rhabdomyolysis wasn’t some word I made up to sound like a medical genius. Rhabdomyolysis, or rhabdo in fitness slang, is a rare, but very dangerous condition seen in athletes that are pushing themselves too far. Fitness competitions are becoming a rapidly growing phenomenon, which means more and more people testing their body’s limits, so I figured it was time to raise some awareness about this condition and how to avoid it. (more…)

As an athletic trainer that works with young, active populations, I get a lot of questions about injuries– some more common than others. One of the more common questions I get– especially adolescents – is “What is this bump below my knee?” The answer is almost always Osgood-Schlatter disease – a condition that sounds like the end of the world, but isn’t anything to lose sleep over. (more…)

March is National Athletic Training Month and athletic training has evolved as more and more people find out that athletic trainers’ expertise has applications far beyond athletics. Sure, working with on the field (or court – it is time for March Madness) may be the backbone of our profession, but there is an ever-expanding list of non-traditional settings that athletic trainers are making an impact. Below are 10 settings you might not have realized utilized athletic trainers. (more…)

At first, hydration might seem like a dry topic, but there is more to it than just drinking water. Many people may not realize that hydration levels can affect everything from essential bodily functions to your mental and physical performance levels, making it an ideal topic to cover with hordes of athletes returning to their sports this week. (more…)

For many, the term ‘athletic trainer’ brings about the image of a polo and khakis clad person standing on the sidelines taping ankles, stretching players, or evaluating injuries. While these ideas may be accurate, there is a lot more to the profession than that. As healthcare professionals, athletic trainers are well-versed in the evaluation and treatment of a wide range of injuries, conditions, and issues. This can encompass everything from a sprained ankle to cardiac arrest to an emotional problem. Here are 5 things you may not have known about athletic trainers. (more…)

When an athlete is injured, a doctor will often prescribe a round of physical therapy to help facilitate the healing process. As an athletic trainer (AT), I’m often asked by parents why a student-athlete can’t just do their therapy with me in the athletic training room instead of going off-site to a clinic for formal physical therapy. The truth is that as an athletic trainer, I’m a part of a healthcare team, and like any other team, I feel that each member plays a role that maximizes their potential. Personally, and dependant on the nature of the injury, if I want my athlete to get the highest quality of care, I’m going to set them up with formal physical therapy with a physical therapist (PT). (more…)