By: Melissa Coon
Jared Hanson is a Certified Athletic Trainer and Work Conditioning Specialist at ARC Physical Therapy+. He is certified in XRTS Sincerity of Effort Testing, Functional Capacity Evaluations, Post Offer Employment Testing and the McKenzie Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment of the Spine. Additionally, he is a Level II TRX Provider.
Aside from working at ARC Physical Therapy+, Jared also serves as an athletic trainer at Liberty North High School and assists many suburban youth football organizations with injury prevention.
1. Why did you decide to pursue a career as an ATC?
I decided to go into athletic training for two reasons–first was my desire to be around athletics. Sports were always very important to me growing up and I wanted a profession that would allow me to incorporate this passion. I knew it wouldn’t be possible for me to continue playing organized sports after high school and saw athletic training as an opportunity to do incorporate this interest. The second reason was my fascination for the human body. I have always been amazed by how the body works. To me, it is the most amazing machine that I can never learn enough about.
2. Explain your education/background.
I have a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in athletic training. I completed four years of college and a summer internship. My education was accompanied by a lot of observational hours, under the observation of a certified athletic trainer, where I helped with the coverage of sporting events as well as injury assessments, treatment and rehabilitation of collegiate athletes. Upon completion of my education, I had to sit for the National Athletic Trainers Association, Board of Certification credentialing exam.
3. How do you describe what you do?
To me, an athletic trainer is a like the Swiss Army knife of the medical professions. An athletic trainer has skills and education in a lot of different areas. Our education is geared around the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. However, as professionals, we work in numerous environments settings. My current jobs involve me working in both the outpatient rehabilitation realm as well as the secondary education setting, where I assist high school athletes.
4. What does a typical work week look like for you?
I oversee the work conditioning program at our North Kansas City clinic as well as perform Functional Capacity Assessments and Post Offer Employment Testing for different employers throughout the region. After completing my duties at the clinic, I go up to Liberty North High School, where I work as an athletic trainer. Most of my time at the high school is spent treating injuries and covering athletic events.
5. What do you like most about what you do?
I feel an immense sense of wellbeing when I know I have helped a patient or athlete recover from an injury. I see patients from all walks of life come through our work conditioning program and it’s really rewarding to see the transformation they go through.
6. What is a common misconception that people have about what you do?
A common misconception that people have about athletic training is that we are personal trainers. Although there are some athletic trainers that choose to go into that line of work, our profession is much more than personal training.
7. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I have learned and grown a lot, both personally and professionally, during my time at ARC Physical Therapy+. For example, like a lot of Athletic Trainers, I used to feel uneasy about evaluating and treating the spine and back. Now, as I’ve gotten more involved with the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment of the Spine (MDT), I have found a passion for working with the spine. MDT has changed how I treat patients and has helped me become a more well-rounded and confident clinician. I’ve even taken the principles of MDT and applied them in a more traditional athletic training setting at the high school where I work in the evenings. My hope is that I can take a practice such as MDT and continue to expand its involvement in the profession of athletic training.
About ARC Physical Therapy+
ARC Physical Therapy+ is the only physical and occupational therapy company that combines a continuum of care to create a healthy workforce. ARC Physical Therapy+ is home to nearly 90 associates, 12 outpatient clinics, several onsite clinics and an array of unique employer health solutions positioned throughout the Midwest including the Kansas City metro area, St. Joseph, Liberty and Springfield, Mo., Topeka, Shawnee, Overland Park, Olathe and Wichita, Ks.
