Occupational Therapist

**Major Responsibilities and Duties**

**1.** **Assessing and evaluating athletes**

a. Determine athletes' needs, goals, and potential barriers to their performance.

b. Conduct comprehensive assessments of athletes' physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning.

c. Utilize standardized assessments to evaluate athletes' functional abilities.

d. Analyze athletes' performance in their respective sports to develop targeted treatment plans for improvement.

**2.** **Developing and executing treatment plans**:
a. Create educational programs and resources to educate athletes and coaches on preventing injuries.

b. Organize workshops and training sessions for athletes and coaches, teaching them proper training techniques, body mechanics, and strategies to prevent injuries.

c. Develop easy-to-understand materials like handouts and videos to offer continuous support and guidance to athletes and coaches in preventing injuries.

**3.** **Establish strong collaborative relationships with sports medicine physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and various healthcare professionals to deliver integrated care for athletes.**

d. Work together with sports medicine physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care for athletes.

e. Collaborate to create detailed treatment plans that address the athletes' needs

f. Coordinate care to ensure smooth communication and continuous support.

g. Regularly share updates and progress reports to maintain effective teamwork and achieve the best possible outcomes for athletes.

**4.** **Educate athletes and coaches on injury prevention, safe training practices, and proper body mechanics.**

h. Create educational programs and resources to teach athletes and coaches about preventing injuries.

i. Arrange workshops and training sessions specifically for athletes and coaches, emphasizing correct training methods, body mechanics, and injury prevention strategies.

j. Develop informative materials like handouts and videos to offer ongoing support and guidance to athletes and coaches in preventing injuries.

**5.** **Monitor athletes' progress and adjust treatment plans as needed.**

k. Regularly check ups on how athletes are improving and make changes to their treatment plans as needed to ensure the best results.

l. Use measurements like range of motion or strength tests to keep track of how athletes are progressing over time.

m. Discuss with other healthcare professionals, such as sports medicine doctors or physical therapists, to make sure the treatment plans are suitable and effective

**6.** **Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes.**

n. Keep detailed and accurate records of all assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes.

o. Use electronic health record systems to ensure that records are secure, organized, and easily accessible.

p. Maintain HIPAA compliance and ensure that all records are kept confidential.

**Education**:
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program

Active state licensure as an Occupational Therapist

Additional certifications or training in sports rehabilitation or related areas are preferred

**Licenses**

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

**Credentials**

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

**Experience**:
5 or more years of clinical experience, with a significant portion of that experience in sports rehabilitation or a related field. Leadership and management experience may also be required.

**Knowledge**:
1. Understanding the structure and function of the human body is important for an Occupational Therapist to accurately assess and treat sports injuries.

2. Knowledge of sports-related injuries and conditions, such as concussions, strains, and sprains, is important to develop effective treatment plans for athletes.

3. Understanding how exercise affects the body and how to design exercise programs is important to help athletes recover from injuries and improve their physical function.

4. Understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity in patient populations and the ability to provide culturally sensitive care.

5. Knowledge of manual therapy techniques, such as joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, and massage, is important for an Occupational Therapist to help athletes recover from injuries and improve their physical function.

6. Understanding health and safety regulations is important for an Occupational Therapist to ensure a safe environment for athletes and themselves.

**Skills**:
1. _Knowledge of anatomy and physiology, sports medicine, exercise science, manual therapy techniques, biomechanics, medical terminology, and health and safety regulations may be required._

2. _Assessment skills are necessary to perform comprehensive assessments of an athlete's physical function and identify areas of impa