Abstract:
Esports, or competitive gaming, is growing exponentially, with millions of viewers, billions of dollars of investment and a player base garnering fans around the globe. Many secondary school and collegiate programs are instituting esports teams in both varsity and intramural settings and athletic trainers are the most qualified health care professionals to address the needs of this population. There is a need for skilled professionals to manage esports-related musculoskeletal injuries across all levels of play as well as to promote optimal physical function for performance. This session will explore the physical demands of esports, its unique culture and community, the impact of peripherals and ergonomics and the role of athletic trainers. The session will also discuss how skills for treating this population are relevant in other high performance sedentary occupations such as tech workers, music producers and digital artists.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate the current state of health and performance in esports.
• Connect the role of athletic training professionals to esports.
• Categorize the relationship between posture, ergonomics and injury risk in esports.
• Appraise current opportunities and barriers for athletic trainers in the field of esports medicine.
• Justify implementing health and performance initiatives at the institutional level.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
Esports has evolved from a niche subculture into a mainstream phenomenon with millions of players and billions of viewers. Tournaments and leagues attract massive audiences, both online and in person, contributing to a booming industry at professional, collegiate, high school and community levels. As the esports market continues to surge, esports medicine has become integral to the ecosystem. The demand for specialized health care support has surged in tandem with the industry's growth, especially as varsity collegiate programs emerge. Esports athletes, or competitive gamers, face distinctive health challenges associated with their intensive practice schedules. As the industry expands, so does the need for tailored health care solutions that address the physical and mental well-being of players. "Esports medicine" has become the catch-all term to address these unique challenges. This specialized branch of sports medicine acknowledges the specialized demands of competitive gaming and aims to optimize performance, prevent injuries and enhance the overall health of esports athletes in the same way that sports medicine does traditional athletes. To keep pace with the rapid growth of esports, the field of esports medicine adopts a multidisciplinary approach. It combines elements from athletic training, sports medicine, physical therapy, psychology and nutrition to provide comprehensive care. This approach not only contributes to the well-being of players, but also aligns with an evidence-based care model in which health care professionals are integrated rather than siloed. The remarkable market size and exponential growth of esports have propelled the emergence of esports medicine. As the industry continues to thrive, the demand for specialized health care services tailored to the unique challenges of competitive gaming is set to grow, further solidifying the relevance of esports medicine within the global esports landscape.

Level:
Essential

Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy 
Domain 2: Assessment Evaluation and Diagnosis 
Domain 3: Critical Incident Management 
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention 
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Elliot Smithson, PT, DPT, ATC, EMT

Caitlin McGee, PT, DPT, MS

Abstract:
The athletic training profession is rapidly evolving, yet there remains a notable disconnect between the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as ChatGPT, and their current application in clinical and administrative settings. Athletic trainers  aren’t fully utilizing AI for tasks such as clinical decision-making, policy development and efficient data analysis, which are essential for advancing patient care and optimizing operational efficiency. This session aims to bridge this gap by educating ATs about the capabilities and practical applications of AI tools. Many ATs are unaware of the transformative potential of AI in enhancing patient outcomes, improving work efficiency and staying abreast of evolving health care demands. This session will provide attendees with the necessary knowledge and skills to integrate AI into their daily practice, focusing on how ChatGPT can be leveraged in various athletic training scenarios. This session is designed to fill the knowledge gap and empower ATs to meet the unmet needs of their patients through informed AI utilization.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and discuss AI applications in common job-related tasks in athletic training such as clinical decision-making, developing and revising policies and procedures and rapid data review and analysis.
• Demonstrate how to incorporate AI tools, such as ChatGPT, into essential athletic trainer administrative functions and clinical practice.
• Assess the benefits and limitations of AI in patient care and administrative functions in various athletic training practice settings. 
• Create a plan for integrating AI solutions to enhance patient care and optimize daily operations.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
This session will provide opportunities for all emerging settings to understand the role of AT, such as a ChatGPT. Additionally, the various applications of ChatGPT are translational across emerging settings. For example, reviewing or creating policies and procedures, proposals, or generating patient/client letters are based on similar requirements just different contexts. Also, rapid data analysis is highly beneficial for developing patient-care decisions.

Level:
Essential

Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy 
Domain 2: Assessment Evaluation and Diagnosis 
Domain 3: Critical Incident Management 
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention 
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Ray Castle, PhD, LAT, ATC

Abstract:
The focus of athletic training education has always been on the traditional settings. There is little, if any, time spent on emerging pathways, such as business modeling and development.  The lack of time spent on business basics makes it harder for an athletic trainer to consider business ownership as an option. This session is meant to help fill that gap and stay ahead of a growing trend in the athletic training profession.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the different ways that athletic trainers can develop and build a business.
• Compare business structures and determine which might serve an athletic trainer building a business.
• Provide examples of what else will be needed for success as an entrepreneur, beyond the typical skills of an AT.
• Enhance the scope and quality of patient care in athletic training by incorporating comprehensive education on business modeling and development.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
A business can focus on any setting of athletic training. Some may create a business modeled around the collegiate or secondary school settings, others may focus on public safety or outreach. Business ownership can be done by any athletic trainer.

Level:
Advanced

Domain(s):
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Michael Donahue, DAT, MEd, ATC

Alan Reid, MS, LAT, ATC

Abstract:
Cannabis used as medicine dates as far back as 2,700 years ago documented in Asia. Cannabis has been reported throughout history to treat ailments such as rheumatism, constipation, gout, edema and infectious wounds, to name a few. In 1611, hemp reached America via Jamestown settlers and was acknowledged as a plant-based drug and added to the United States Pharmacopoeia in 1850 only to be removed in 1941 and later moved into a Schedule I drug in 1970. In 1988, the CB1 receptor was discovered in the human body, opening the door to understanding the endocannabinoid system and how cannabis is utilized by the human body. The discovery of this receptor led to a new direction of research and study to uncover information regarding the system to which the CB1 receptor is a component, including how it is impacted by pharmacology and the effects this system has on other systems and the global person. In February 2022, the NCAA announced a new policy that would increase the threshold for THC from 35 nanograms per milliliter to 159 nanograms per milliliter. This session will provide useful content to athletic trainers who may be tasked with providing advice or care to subjects who seek to treat conditions with cannabinoids.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the components of the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
• Explain the mechanisms by which cannabinoids interact with the ECS.
• Describe the physiological effects of cannabinoids at the cellular level on the global person.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
CBD utilization and understanding how it can be beneficial in the health care setting is a means of advancing one’s current clinical practice.

Level:
Advanced

Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy 
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention 

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Donita Valentine, DAT, CCISM

Brandon Holland, DAT, ABD

Abstract:
Despite a wealth of knowledge in sports medicine and health care, athletic trainers often struggle with workplace stagnancy and finding new ways to enhance patient care. This session addresses the gap between current standards of care and innovative approaches from other industries that can ignite creativity, connection and service excellence within athletic training/health care teams. Specifically, it tackles the lack of understanding around how concepts from disciplines including business, employee and customer experience and technology can elevate athletic training practices. By attending this session, athletic trainers will gain insights into strategically applying fresh concepts to their settings in order to boost patient outcomes, advance the profession and improve workplace connection and camaraderie. Overall, this session is essential for athletic trainers seeking to inject creativity into their teams and practices by looking beyond traditional health care alone. This  session will equip attendees with game-changing ideas to elevate their workplace team and carry their athletic training practices forward.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify three innovative concepts from employee and patient experience, business and technology concepts that can be applied to enhance outcomes in athletic training practices.
• Discuss two strategies, based on insights from other industries presented, for boosting workplace connection and camaraderie within workplace teams.
• Analyze personal athletic training practice or workplace team dynamics to determine two areas most in need of fresh, innovative approaches to spark positive change.
• Develop an action plan outlining three outside-the-box ideas that will be implemented over the next year to elevate patient-care quality and fuel creativity in the workplace setting.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
The concepts presented will empower ATs in attendance to strategically harness relevant trends and technologies shaping other industries. It will focus specifically on identifying cutting-edge trends, innovations and technologies happening in other industries outside of health care that could be strategically leveraged by athletic training teams to enhance patient care and workplace culture. The concepts covered range will from new technological advances that promote collaboration and foster creativity to larger workplace/management trends that cultivate greater employee engagement and satisfaction. By highlighting case studies and providing tactical takeaways throughout, this session will equip attendees to implement technological tools, systems and modern processes to stimulate positive change in their practice. The discussion will center on how athletic trainers can proactively and positively disrupt their own field – much like entrepreneurs in the tech sector – by applying fresh eyes from beyond health care alone. This embodies the ethos of leveraging "trends and technology" from the world at large rather than just health care.

Level:
Advanced

Domain(s):
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Ryan Stevens, MS, ATC, CSCS

Abstract:
Despite the wealth of data available, many health care providers struggle to effectively collect, understand and utilize this information. This session aims to address this gap by providing comprehensive insights into efficient data-collection practices, understanding different data structures and the strategic use of this data in clinical decision-making.

Learning Objectives:

• Outline the methods and technologies used in health care data collection.
• Distinguish between different types of data and their structures in health care.
• Examine the various ways data is used to inform clinical decisions and improve patient care.
• Discuss strategies for effectively communicating data findings to health care teams.
• Provide a roadmap for implementing operational changes to adopt advanced data collection and analysis practices.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
This session will explore the transformative role of data collection practices in various settings such as hospitals, clinics and research institutions. It will detail the methodologies, types of data and strategic implementation to optimize health care outcomes and operational efficiency.

Level:
Advanced

Domain(s):
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Anna Applegate, ATC

Abstract:
This session will dive into the fascinating world of traditional ergonomic assessment tools such as NIOSH Lifting Equation,  Rapid Entire Body Assessment,  Rapid Upper Limb Assessment and Strain Index. These methods have been utilized for years in the field of ergonomic evaluation, offering valuable insights into identifying and mitigating ergonomic risks. By introducing these classic tools, the session will highlight their effectiveness and reliability as well as address the significance of integrating traditional approaches with cutting-edge technological advancements. This session will bridge a knowledge gap that some athletic trainers may have about the tools and their potential benefits when working with industrial athletes and will help to identify and address risk factors.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the importance of ergonomic assessment in the occupational settings to prevent injuries.
  
• Introduce ergonomic assessment tools and their applications.
• Explore the latest technological advancements in ergonomic assessment tools and their applications.
• Discover best practices and evidence-based approaches for integrating ergonomic assessment tools into the occupational setting.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
Ergonomic assessments tools can be applied to settings beyond the occupational setting. They are utilized in different settings and environments to promote injury prevention. They can be utilized to enhance patient safety and comfort during procedures in the health facilities. Furthermore, they can provide insight in tactical settings to help improve task execution.

Level:
Essential

Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy 

CEUs:
0.75 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Haided Estevez, MS, ATC, LAT

Abstract:
While it’s currently unique to integrate the AT in continued off-site care in the occupational setting, it’s essential for patient care continuity and makes the AT a core member of an interdisciplinary team. As the demand for case management and workers’ compensation knowledge in occupational and professional settings grow, this capability is essential. Unfortunately, the AT is currently underutilized in the occupational health care continuum. This session will advocate for the AT's involvement, while educating as to how vital the AT's perspective and skill set is in the clinical team of occupational health. 

Learning Objectives:

• Define occupational health as a discipline of medicine.
• Recognize elements of the provider's occupational examination and decision-making of continued care.
• Differentiate roles within the occupational health interdisciplinary team.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
Many emerging settings overlap with occupational health. In public safety, performing arts and armed forces, the patient population is truly an employee. They would complete the same post-hire testing, injury care process, etc., when events occur during their time of work.

Level:
Advanced

Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy 

CEUs:
1.25 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Kyra Dodson, MBA, MS, LAT-ATC

Beth Syrstad, RN

Michael Sidhom, MD, MSPH

Abstract:
The session will outline the unique services and educational impact the athletic trainer can have as a health care provider in a theme park. As opposed to other performing arts setting, the athletic trainer in a theme park interacts with a range of performers. This includes dancers of various styles, singers, juggers, costume characters and technicians. With many of the performers at the onset of their careers and most without health insurance outside of workers’ compensation coverage, the athletic trainer has a tremendous impact through patient education on preventative and self-care measures.

Learning Objectives:

• Design preventative and self-care exercise programs to enhance the performers health care.
  
• Identify and implement various components for a comprehensive health care program in the theme park setting.
• Identify the unique challenges to health care due to the broad variety of performers in the theme park setting.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
Many elements of the program can be utilized in occupational, private and emerging practices. For example, designing preventative and self-care exercise programs, implementing comprehensive health care programs, and addressing unique challenges, highlight skills and knowledge that can be applied across different athletic training scenarios. The emphasis on patient education will demonstrate a transferable focus on preventative and self-care measures that can be beneficial in various athletic training contexts.

Level:
Essential

Domain(s): 
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention 

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Steven Cole, MEd LAT, ATC

John Knaul, ATC

Abstract:
The term ”artificial intelligence” encompasses a range of technology applications for different purposes. The most immediate effect on athletic trainers will be the use of machine learning to develop predictive algorithms for disease prevention, diagnosis and prognosis. Longitudinal analyses of large clinical datasets will be used to develop risk profiles for individual athletes, with continually updated quantitative estimate of the probability for future occurrence of a specific type of injury or illness. Failure to adapt to impending advances could conceivably result in forfeiture of decision-making authority to some other health care professional who possesses a higher level of expertise in the utilization of information technology for guidance of clinical care.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the growing utilization of artificial intelligence in health care to guide selection of therapeutic interventions.
  
• Describe the potential benefits, as well as potential drawbacks, of the impending growth in dependence on artificial intelligence.
• Explain the relevance of predictive algorithms developed by machine learning to the process of making clinical decisions.
• Relate specific examples of change in the professional role of the AT that may emerge from the growing capabilities and increasing availability of artificial intelligence applications.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
Regardless of practice setting, various applications of artificial intelligence (e.g., machine learning for delivery of precision sports medicine) will undoubtedly have increasing influence on individual patient care decisions, clinician/clinic performance assessment and program/organization administration in the near future.

Level:
Advanced

Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy 
Domain 2: Assessment Evaluation and Diagnosis 
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Gary B. Wilkerson, EdD, ATC, FNATA

Abstract:
Technology in the rehab and performance space has been fast evolving, which is exciting yet overwhelming. Attendees will learn about common technologies used in high performance settings and  how to evaluate the evidence behind products to better make purchasing and implementation decisions on any budget.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover emerging technologies used sports rehabilitation for better decision-making.
  
• Recognize key evidence of validity and reliability of technologies to determining utility.
• Discuss key performance indicators for safe return to sport using mentioned technologies.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
This topic will help athletic trainers working in settings such as physician practice, performing arts, armed forces and rehab clinics to measure key impairments through validated technologies. Using such technologies, data can be collected in a consistent and clinically fast method, and can allow athletic trainers to expand their skill set in designing programs and initiatives pertaining to health care administration, public safety, analytics and outcomes.

Level:
Advanced

Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy 
Domain 2: Assessment Evaluation and Diagnosis 
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention 

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Vien Vu, DPT, SCS, CSCS

Abstract:
This session explores the coexistence of performing arts and athletic sports. It also addresses how athletic trainers can leverage their skills to adapt to specific demands. This includes recognizing distinct injury patterns that may emerge, tailoring treatment approaches to accommodate the diversity of individuals involved and implementing effective rehabilitation strategies.

Learning Objectives:

• Compare different settings where performing arts and athletic sport can coexist.
• Identify ways that an athletic trainer can put into their own practice, evaluation and treatment skills from a unique setting.
• Summarize different injury patterns that can be seen in the performing arts setting.
• Develop plans on dealing with injuries sustained from a combined performing arts/athletic setting.

How is this session relevant to a variety of settings?
Athletic trainers in diverse settings encounter the challenge of catering to a broad spectrum of individuals, and this presentation aims to explore how they can effectively integrate practices, evaluation techniques and treatment skills from such a dynamic and diverse environment into their own professional repertoire.

Level:
Essential

Domain(s):
Domain 3: Critical Incident Management 
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention 
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility

CEUs:
This session provides both entertainment and education. Attendees can earn 0.5 Category A CEUs upon completion.

In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.

Steven Patterson, EdD, LAT, ATC