Article reposted from Hometownfocus.us
Author: Hometownfocus.us
Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital announced the addition of full-time athletic trainer, Ashley Palmer, ATC, at Grand Rapids High School. She is originally from Floodwood, MN, and attended Bemidji State University where she got her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science degree. She then went on to get her Masters of Athletic Training from North Dakota State University. Before coming to Grand Rapids, Palmer worked for Essentia-St. Josephs in Brainerd where she was the head athletic trainer working at Brainerd High School.
Palmer is employed by Grand Itasca, but works full-time at Grand Rapids High School. She provides sideline practice and game coverage, evaluates and treats injuries and coordinates rehabilitation plans with the injured athletes’ health care teams. She is also responsible for conducting baseline concussion tests. If an athlete sustains a concussion, this test helps to determine when they are back to their “baseline” and, thus, ready to return to their sports.
The addition of Palmer at the high school continues a long-standing tradition of Grand Itasca therapists and doctors providing sideline coverage at Grand Rapids sporting events. For more than 20 years, a team of physical therapists and physicians has provided game-day sports medicine care at Grand Rapids High School and for 17 years that same team has provided coverage at Itasca Community College. The full-time position allows for more practice coverage, more training room time and greater depth of game coverage than ever before.
“Every year we have done more and more at the high school. The addition of a full-time athletic trainer really brings the care for our athletes to the next level,” says Gerry Wyland, Grand Itasca rehab director.
Anne Campbell, ISD 318 athletic director says, “Ashley brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our school and athletes. She has already proven to be an invaluable asset. The school leadership, students, coaches and parents are ecstatic that she’s here. We are very excited to call Grand Itasca our ‘Official Provider of Sports Medicine Services.’”
For more information about sports medicine services provided by Grand Itasca, visit www.granditasca.org.