Clues to the Pediatric Puzzle: Common Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Diagnoses
Abstract:
Nearly a quarter of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) membership of certified athletic trainers (ATs) works in the secondary school job setting, much of which includes student-athletes who are skeletally immature and are thus classified as “pediatric” by the orthopaedic and sports medicine communities. However, detailed instruction regarding pediatric-specific diagnoses and conditions are not the focus of many athletic training programs. ATs receive their training specific to pediatric orthopaedic and sports medicine diagnoses on-the-field post certification or through specialized study programs. Pediatric diagnoses are unique and require a different approach for recovery and return to activity.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe common pediatric-specific orthopaedic and sports medicine diagnoses, including potential long-term effects of an injury.
- Differentiate chronic, acute, urgent, and emergent pediatric-specific diagnoses.
- Identify appropriate plans of care and activity restrictions for common pediatric-specific orthopaedic and sports medicine diagnoses.
- Educate key stakeholders (parent/guardian, coach, medical care team) about the significance of pediatric-specific orthopaedic and sports medicine diagnoses as well as the need for specialized care, when appropriate.
- Transform the mindset that kids can be treated as “tiny adults.”
Level:
Advanced
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
Orthopedic Domain(s):
Domain 1: Medical Knowledge
CEUs:
1.0 Category A
Keywords:
Fracture, Healing timeline, Physis/Physes, Skeletal maturity
In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.
Course Expiration:
All sessions of the NATA 76th Symposia On-Demand must be completed by October 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
For full details, refer to the expiration policy on our FAQ page.
Raena Steffen, MS, LAT, ATC
Raena Steffen is a graduate of the University of South Florida Athletic Training Education Program, earning her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training with a minor in Public Health in 2009, and her post-professional master's degree in Medical Sciences, with a concentration in Athletic Training and Pediatric Sports Medicine, graduating in 2013.
During her career as a certified athletic trainer, she has worked across a variety of settings, including in administration, the physician clinic, the rehabilitation clinic, research, secondary schools, club sports, and national-team sports, including traveling domestically and internationally with various US Soccer Women’s Youth National Teams and the USA Gymnastics Women’s National Team. Her work as an AT began at Hillsborough High School, providing care at the secondary school level. She then joined Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, working alongside sports medicine physicians and orthopaedic surgeons providing care in the clinics and on the sidelines.
She returned to her alma mater, the University of South Florida, as the Outreach Coordinator for the Sports Medicine and Athletic Related Trauma (SMART) Institute, overseeing 11 ATs in local secondary schools. Following the closure of the SMART Institute in 2020, she resumed practice in the clinical setting, working as an AT in the physician clinic at a local private practice: Children’s Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates, LLP (COSSA). In addition to patient care, here she helped to create and held the role of research coordinator, helping COSSA to develop their research department and subsequently their research foundation. She continues to work as a consultant for the practice.
In 2024, Raena joined PT Solutions Physical Therapy as the Director of Sports Medicine for Florida. In this role, she oversees nearly 50 full-time ATs, primarily in the secondary school setting, and 40 per diem ATs who assist with contracts across the State. She routinely engages with key stakeholders, including local hospital systems, orthopaedic and sports medicine physicians, physical therapists, athletic directors, and the community to ensure the level of care delivered is of the highest quality, giving student-athletes the chance to remain UNSTOPPABLE.
In her free time, Raena enjoys spending her time near or on the water, reading, baking, propagating and growing tropical flowers, and spending time with her boyfriend, her dog Dora, and her friends. She is an active member of the Junior League of Tampa, participating in various community service programs, awareness campaigns, and charity events.