Athletic therapists are present in many different settings, but mainly found in both field and clinical settings. An AT treats acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries (muscle, bone, and joints). In a field setting AT's deal with emergency care situations and are the first to respond to an injured person when covering an event. In a clinical setting AT's treat all types of injuries, from sprains & strains to following post-op protocols, as well as injury prevention and health maintenance. To find out more visit the Canadian Athletic Therapist Association's website.

An athletic therapist's scope of practice may overlap with other health care professionals, with similarities and differences. To find out more about an AT's scope of practice visit the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association's website.

Athletic therapists can treat clients with a variety of needs and musculoskeletal ailments. Every client has a specific treatment plan depending on those needs. Some common conditions are: - sprains - muscle strains - everyday aches & pains - acute & chronic injuries - reoccurring injuries - pain - pre & post-surgical rehabilitation - concussion recognition & management - injury prevention - many more

An initial treatment includes: - thorough history (personal, previous injuries, chief complaint, etc) - range of motion testing - manual muscle & strength testing - specific tests (pin pointing the injury) - functional testing - differential diagnosis - preliminary treatment (time permitting) - preliminary home exercise program (HEP) Normally a follow-up treatment is scheduled, which includes a reassessment of the injured structures, treatment, and allows for progression of the HEP.