Top Journal Article, Keynote Invitation Raise Profile of Athletic Training Education Program

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Gretchen Oliver

The graduate athletic training education program at the University of Arkansas is gaining national attention as evidenced by publication in the field's top academic journal and an invitation for a faculty member to speak to leading biomechanics researchers.

Gretchen Oliver, assistant professor of kinesiology, published a case study of an NCAA Division I football player's fractured collarbone in the February issue of the Journal of Athletic Training. The peer-reviewed, bimonthly journal published by the National Athletic Trainers Association is ranked in the top five of sports sciences journals according to research citations.

"This is the premier academic journal for our field," said Oliver's colleague, Jeff Bonacci, clinical assistant professor of kinesiology and director of the athletic training education program in the College of Education and Health Professions. "It has a 33 percent acceptance rate, and Dr. Oliver's article is featured on the journal's cover. In a very short period of time, Dr. Oliver has brought the research component of the athletic training education program to a higher level than it has ever been before."

Oliver co-authored the article with Sarah Rabe, an alumna of the university. Oliver supervises the athletic training education students in their clinical rotations in Division I and high school athletic programs, physical therapy clinics and medical rotations with doctors.

Rabe was an approved clinical instructor for the athletic training education program while serving as a graduate assistant athletic trainer in athletics at the University of Arkansas for two years and then as a staff intern athletic trainer for an additional year. She received a Master of Science from the university in kinesiology, exercise science. Last March, she became an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Memphis, where she works with the women’s soccer and football teams. Her undergraduate degree is from Radford University in Virginia.

The article, "Clavicular Fracture in a Collegiate Football Player: A Case Report of Rapid Return to Play," examined the surgical treatment and rehabilitation of the player's injury. Surgical treatment for clavicular fractures is becoming increasingly common, and the case study was the first report of an advanced rehabilitation protocol for surgical repair.

"We suggest that new rehabilitation protocols for clavicular repairs be investigated now that surgical treatment is being pursued more frequently," the authors wrote. "With these medical advancements, athletes are able to return to play much more quickly without compromising their health and safety."

Since joining the faculty in 2006, Oliver established the University of Arkansas Sport Biomechanics Group and conducts research with students using computer software called The MotionMonitor. The real-time 3-D motion-capture system is being used to prevent injury and enhance athletes' performance. Based on their research, Oliver and her students have made numerous presentations at conferences, including the 2009 Conference of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports in Limerick, Ireland.

Noraxon U.S.A. invited Oliver to give the keynote address next month in Los Angeles at a conference of users of the surface electromyographic instrumentation technology that Oliver uses. Noraxon is one of two companies that are leading manufacturers of sEMG instrumentation, she said. She will speak on "sEMG Evaluation During Dynamic Movements of the Shoulder."

Sharon Hunt, head of the department of health, science, kinesiology, recreation and dance, said the invitation speaks to the national reputation Oliver is developing as a leading researcher using sEMG instrumentation.

"Dr. Oliver is really involved in cutting-edge research in the field of biomechanics," Hunt said.

The graduate athletic training education program was initially granted national accreditation in 2005, and it received a five-year re-accreditation in 2010. It is one of 23 entry-level master's programs in athletic training education in the nation and the only program in the Southeastern Conference.

This spring, the program received 51 applications from prospective students for 15 available slots, Bonacci said.