Sports Medicine – FAQ
By Michelle Duclos, ATC
Sports Medicine – FAQ
What is a Certified Athletic Trainer?
Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC) are allied health care professionals. They collaborate with physicians to provide athletic injury prevention services, emergency medical care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.
Is Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute involved with any Professional Sports?

JOI Soccer
Yes. JOI is the exclusive sports medicine provider for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL, The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League.
What schools does Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute provide Sports Medicine Coverage for?
- Bishop Kenny High School.
- Bishop Snyder High School.
- Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
- Atlantic Coast High School.
- Fernandina Beach High School.
- The Bolles School.
- Paxon School for Advanced Studies.
- Florida State College at Jacksonville.
- Hilliard High School
What are the Benefits of having an ATC on site covering Athletics at a School?
Having an ATC on campus during athletic activities allows for a quicker response time to emergency situations. It also facilitates better communication between coaches and medical personnel, and more consistency of athletes care.
What other settings do Athletic Trainers commonly work in?
They work in college and university settings, occupational health, military, physician extender, professional sports, rehabilitation clinics, and industrial health facilities.
What are common Treatment Methods for Injuries that ATCs use on a daily basis?
They utilize heat, ice, manual stretching, manual resistance exercises, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, Graston Technique Soft Tissue Mobilization, and therapeutic exercises.
What are the most Common Injuries ATC’s handle during a Football Season?
Concussions and head injuries are very common in collision sports, with non-contact and contact mechanisms. Ankle sprains, ligament tears in the knee (especially ACL tears) and shoulder instability or dislocations can also occur during other sports activities.
How is a Certified Athletic Trainer different from a Physical Therapist?
Certified Athletic Trainers are able to provide medical care to the active population. They provide care often times from the initial onset of the injury or illness all the way through the diagnostic process. They also provide rehabilitation, return to competition or their previous level of function. Physical therapists are able to provide rehabilitation care for all populations. Including children, elderly, athletes, burn victims and any other type of injury or illness. The goal is help patients who need help restoring their lives to their previous level of activity.
JOI and JOI Rehab
JOI Physicians continue to offer online new patient appointments. This is another option to make it more convenient to make new patient appointments with less phone hold times. Follow the link below to select your JOI MD and schedule online.
You can still call 904-JOI-2000 to make new patient JOI Physician Appointments if that is your preference.
To make appointments with JOI Rehab, please call 904-858-7045.