December 12, 1974
The Honorable, Logan Wood, Jr. Opinion No. H- 471
Chairman
Texas Board of Athletic Trainers Re: Extent to which high scheo;
6100 South Main Street coaches may perform the
Houston, Texas 77001 duties of athletic trainer
under Article 4512d,, V. T, C. 5
Dear Mr. Wood:
You have asked the following questions:
1) Are persons employed and compensated
by an Independent School District as “uncerti-
fied trainers” who perform some or most of.
the duties of athletic trainers, who are not
licensed by the Texas Board of Athletic
Trainers and who are not coaches, acting in
violation of Article 4512d. V. T. C. S. ?
2) May coaches, athletic trainers and
“uncertified trainers” use physical modalities
such as diathermy and ultrasound in their work
related to rehabilitation and treatment of athletes?
An “athletic trainer” as defined ~by Article 4512d. section l(l), V.. ‘I’,, C. ,i
is:
. . . a person with specific quali,fications. as
set forth in Section 9 of thi,s Act, who,. upon the
advice an,d consent of his team physician carries
out. the practice of prei-c&on and/or physical
rebabilita~tion of injuries incurred by athletes.
To c~arry out these fuxtions the Athletic, trainer
is autbo~rized to use .physical modalities such as
heat, light. sound, cold, el.cct~.ri cit.y, or mechanicai
devices rel.at:ed to rehabilitation and treatment:,
pe 2150
The Honorable Logan Wood, Jr., page 2 (H-471)
Section 8 of the same Article provides that.:
No person may hold himself out as an athletic
trainer or perform, for compensation, any of
the activities of an athletic trainer as defined
in this Act without first obtaining a license
under ,this Act.
Section l(4) lists persons to whom the provisions of the Act do not
apply. Among them are physicians, dentists, optometrists and nurses.
These professionals may use physical modalities and other healing
techniques similar to those of an athletic trainer so long as they are
properly licensed to practice one of the listed professions and confine
their practice to that profession.
This office has also held in Attorney General Opinion M-1012 (1971)
that athletic coaches who are not compensated to perform the duties of
an athletic trainer are exempted from the licensing provisions of Article
4412d and may use physical modalities on athletes as a necessary activity
in the performance of their duti.es as a coach.
However, there is no mention of t’uncertified” trainers in section l(4)
and no Attorney General Opinion or other legal authority which exempt
such persons from the l,icensing requirements of Article 4512d. Thus,
“uncertified” trainers cannot legally hold themselves out as athletic
trainers, and they are not “authorized to use physical modalities such
as heat, sound, cold, electricity or mechanical devices related to rehabilita
tion and treatment, ”
SUMMARY
Persons who are not athktic coaches. who are
employed by an’Indepen.dent School District as “uncerti’-
Tied” lrainers. who perform some or most of the duties
of at:hlet:ic trainers and who arc not licensed by ;be Texas
Roard of Ath1.eti.c Trai,nrr,s are acti.ng i,n violat.ion of
Article 451.2d, V. T. C. S. Such “uncertified” trainers
are not authorized to use physical modalities such as
p. 21.51
The Honorable Logan Wood, Jr., page 3 (H-471)
diathermy and ultrasound in their work,related to
rehabilitation and treatment of athletes~. Coaches
and athletic trainers are authorized to use such
physical modalities.
Very truly yours,
A
JOHN I,. HILL
Attorney General of Texas
APPROVED:
DAVID M. KENDALL, First Assistant
C. ROBERT HEATH, Chairman
.
Opinion Committee
p. 2i52