Evaluating the Athletic Training Staffs Treating Pro Sports Athletes

Now that National Athletic Training Month is behind us, we keep striving to acknowledge how impactful Athletic Trainers are to the sports we love. They work to keep the athletes healthy and help get them back in the game after an injury. 

So, we wanted to take a closer look to see how Athletic Trainers are are doing all this! Unfortunately, only professional sports is keeping track of these type of stats.

Since that's the case, let's take a look at which at how well the athletic training staffs are doing across American professional sports leagues.

These dedicated healthcare professionals play a critical role in keeping the athletes of the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB in peak condition, ensuring that only the unavoidable injuries sideline the stars and the everyday players.

Despite the physicality of football and hockey, NFL and NHL players rarely miss games unless they're genuinely injured, showcasing the effectiveness of their staffs. Meanwhile, the NBA and MLB see higher instances of missed games, often due to load management rather than direct critique of their medical teams.

This variance underscores the unique challenges faced by training staffs across different sports, from dealing with the prevalence of knee and hamstring injuries in the NFL to managing elbow and shoulder issues in MLB pitchers.

Breaking Down the Injury Stats

• NFL's Most Common Injuries: Knee injuries take the lead, contributing to the league's high injury rate with over 4,000 occurrences last season.
• NBA's Injury Trends: Ankle injuries dominate, with the league seeing a total of 1,380 injuries.
• MLB's Injury Report: Elbow injuries prevail, particularly affecting pitchers, amidst a total of 988 reported injuries.
• NHL's Injury Landscape: Shoulders are most at risk, though the total injury count is kept lower by players' resilience, totaling 951.

Spotlight on the Best Training Staffs
In the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders, and Cincinnati Bengals' training staffs lead the league in minimizing key injuries, directly contributing to their teams' success.

The Bengals, despite their low injury count, felt the sting of losing star QB Joe Burrow to significant time off the field. Notably, the NFL's average adjusted games lost (AGL) metric hit a decade low in 2023, pointing to league-wide improvements in player health management.

Over on the ice, the Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, and Nashville Predators stand out for their healthiness, according to the cumulative cap hit of injured players (CHIP) metric. This health metric correlates with team success, as evidenced by the playoff potential of the healthiest teams.

The baseball diamond sees the Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, and Toronto Blue Jays' medical staffs earning high marks for keeping their players off the injured list and in the game.

Interestingly, Los Angeles, home to the NFL's least-injured team, hosts the MLB's most-injured teams, highlighting the city's diverse medical challenges across sports.

While current NBA injury data remains elusive (because the season is still in full swing), last season's healthiest teams included the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks, among others. The Kings notably broke a 16-year playoff drought, underscoring the pivotal role of athletic trainers in achieving team success.

The Unseen AT Impact
These athletic training staffs, often behind the scenes, are the linchpins in their teams' quests for glory.

From preventing injuries to ensuring swift recoveries, their expertise not only keeps players in action but also significantly influences the outcomes of seasons and careers.

As we continue to celebrate their contributions — even though National Athletic Training Month has passed — let's remember the vital role these ATs play in pro sports!  Thanks for all that you do! 

Check out the full stats on Rotowire!