Athletic trainers and therapists (ATs) routinely provide many services that contribute to public health by reducing healthcare costs, improving healthcare quality, preventing and managing disease, and promoting health and lifestyle improvements. Despite these contributions, the role of ATs in the advancement of public health remains largely unrecognized and underdeveloped. Consequently, the potential contributions of ATs to national public health goals and American healthcare in general remain underutilized. Without research that documents effectiveness, AT influences on public health are likely to.remain limited in scope, i.e., segments of the population that would derive benefit will not be reached. Thus, properly designed research is needed to establish the relevance of athletic training to public health and to document its positive influence. Such research would advance the athletic training profession and create new and unique opportunities for ATs to collaborate with researchers and clinicians in other disciplines.
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