Athletic trainers may have had their roots on the playing field, but the profession has branched out. Large employers such as Toyota, General Motors, Delta Airlines and Boeing have used athletic trainers for years to prevent and treat injuries on the production line and manufacturing floor. While athletic trainers traditionally have worked in an athletic environment, a sprained ankle on an pro athlete is no different than a sprained ankle on a baggage handler at an airport, says Tom Bair, an athletic trainer with ProgressiveHealth Aviation Services in Atlanta.
Bair works primarily with the customer service division of Delta Airlines. The division employs about 6,000 people and includes gate agents, ticket agents and baggage handlers. He also works with employees in the airline’s technical operations center, which includes the mechanics who repair and overhaul the aircraft.
