While our braces may be known for their incredible ability to reduce pain and accelerate the healing process, they can also be used as a means to prevent injury before it happens. We stand behind our custom fabrication process even when it comes to injury prevention. Just as our braces are custom made to fit an injured person’s body, the same process applies to healthy bodies and body parts. Our braces fit like a glove, keeping ligaments in place during high impact and quick-movement activities.
But don’t take our word for it! Here is a testimonial from Steve Bartlinski who has worked as a head professional and college football athletic trainer for over 20 years. When it comes to injuries and prevention, he has seen it all. Here is his take on using Thuasne USA braces to help keep his players on the field:
A large portion of my professional career have been made up of game-day Saturdays, bringing me a mixture of nervousness and excitement. I could never get enough of the gameday environment in the locker room, in the athletic training room, and on the field …it was electrifying!
I have worked 297 games as a head football athletic trainer and am privileged to be associated with multiple championship teams over the years. I have had the honor and privilege to work with hundreds of athletes over the years and still stay in touch with many of them. While my work in the professional field has come to a close, my excitement in the fall is now moved to Friday Night Lights! My privilege is now in watching my son play tight end for his high school football team and get to feel the same emotions that I had in my athletic training career.
Injuries and Prevention
As an athletic trainer, one of my responsibilities to the athlete was prevention of injury or illness. Unfortunately, injuries are a part of sports and have potential significant ramifications for life on the field, but more importantly, off the field.
Prevention of injury or illness comes in many forms; both physical and psychological. I have spent over 20 years trying to predict the future and attempt to limit injuries as much as possible. Our goal as athletic trainers has always been to have low injury rates and very low rates of games missed due to injury.
One way athletic trainers limit injuries is by mandating ankle taping or bracing for each athlete. Research is somewhat inconclusive about the benefits of ankle taping, but there is strong evidence to support the use of ankle bracing as a preventative tool. Anecdotal evidence over the years has suggested that we “dodged a few bullets” by bracing or taping ankles for football. Debbie Adiar is quoted saying. “Prevention is a whole lot less costly than treatment. And maybe more effective.” Based on my experience, I couldn’t agree more.
Another way athletic trainers cut down on injury rates is by mandating custom knee braces for the offensive line, defensive line, and the front leg on quarterbacks. Some evidence suggests that prophylactic bracing is beneficial to the safety and well-being of an athlete.
Beyond the Physical
As a father watching football on Friday nights, I can’t help but shutter when I watch a high school football player get injured when there was the potential to protect that athlete. It is hard to watch an athlete assisted off the field after someone fell into their knee or leg while they were blocking and know that the injury could have been prevented with a reliable bracing solution.
On and off the field, injuries take a tremendous toll on the athlete both physically and mentally. Try crutching around campus in the snow or rain. The time and inconvenience of physical therapy appointments or treatment in the athletic training room. If surgery is required, there will most definitely be academic ramifications.
Beyond the field consequences, an injured athlete who is out of competition for a significant period of time has a tendency to become depressed, anxious, and struggle in school. Their world, as they know it, has made a dramatic change for the worse. They become removed from their group of friends and teammates and isolate themselves because they do not feel that they are able to contribute. The emotional impact an injury can have on a person is significant.
As an athletic trainer, I have had tremendous success with the Townsend Air and Townsend Premier Custom Braces for prevention of injury and also a post injury bracing solution. In addition, the Townsend Rebel Pro OTS brace is a strong brace that can withstand the rigors of football whether in high school or college.
Custom bracing solutions like those from Thuasne USA not only have the potential to save a player from an injury, but from the additional negative emotional impact that can take place due to an injury. For these reasons, injury prevention is key. We owe it to our players to do what we can to watch out for their physical and emotional well being. Thank you, Thuasne USA for making custom fabricated braces that we can count on!
