March gives us the opportunity to bring light to two different healthcare areas that can be critical in keeping individuals active and healthy: athletic training and nutrition. March is both National Athletic Training Month and National Nutrition Month. Read on as we chat with our Rec Well Assistant Directors of Athletic Training and Nutrition Education about how they are working to keep Badgers moving and how you can utilize these services to help you stay healthy.
Erin Clark is the Assistant Director of Athletic Training and a licensed athletic trainer. She works alongside other athletic trainers within Rec Well to provide services to all enrolled and eligible students on campus. Whether you’re participating in a sport club, training for that 5K, just trying to get around campus, or sitting on your computer all day, athletic training can help with any musculoskeletal pain that arises from doing (or not doing) activity.
Veronica Skaradzinski is the Assistant Director of Nutrition Education and a registered dietitian nutritionist. Her primary focus at Rec Well is overseeing the programs and operations of the Wolf Teaching Kitchen and partnering with organizations across campus to build a culture of health. The teaching kitchen is a space where students of all skill levels can learn basic cooking skills, try new foods, and build community with those who have similar interests in cooking. The Nutrition Education department sees confidence in cooking as a foundation to fueling properly.
Athletic trainers and dietitians work alongside providers at University Health Services where students receive many more services, including individual nutrition counseling.
First off, can you give us an overview or examples of what each of your professions actually DOES?
EC: Athletic training is a healthcare profession that specializes in musculoskeletal injuries. Students may experience pain from injuring themselves while playing sport or by stepping off the curb or falling off their bike. Some students may feel pain from sitting in one position for an extended period (looking at you, computer science majors and folks in the school of music). Others may feel pain from performing repetitive movements or starting up a new movement or skill too quickly. Athletic trainers are also really good at the diagnosis and management of concussions. We work closely with our UHS partners and connect students to advanced care when necessary.
VS: There are numerous areas of work within the field of dietetics! Many dietitians work in the clinical setting providing medical nutrition therapy where they counsel individuals for a variety of diagnoses like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Eating Disorders, or Diabetes. Some dietitians work in a food service setting coordinating menus to align with nutritional guidelines. Dietitians work in community settings as well providing outreach, education, and influencing local policy to create healthier communities. At Rec Well, the Nutrition Education (NE) department aims to provide lifelong skills to students through hands-on cooking and food education.
What kind of services do each of your departments offer to students on campus?
VS: We offer three types of cooking classes that can fit a student’s busy schedule, skill level, and food interest. Our classes are peer-taught by Teaching Kitchen Instructors (TKIs). TKIs are current UW-Madison students that love cooking, teaching others, and building community in the Wolf Teaching Kitchen. Once a month, we offer free open house events where anyone can stop in and see the space, try a sample, and join in a food-related activity. We also take room requests for UW-Madison student groups and University departments. With these, groups can use the space on their own or request our student staff lead a cooking class. As we start our fourth semester of services in the NE department, we look forward to the potential for growth in programs and services. As the Assistant Director of Nutrition Education, I partner with UHS dietitians and providers on bigger projects that are tied to health and wellbeing on campus.
EC: The most common service that students utilize Rec Well AT for is evaluation and care of musculoskeletal injuries. We also work closely with students who have sustained concussions. I think the biggest misconception with athletic training is that ATs only work with “athletes.” We work with all individuals that move. Yes, that includes folks who regularly work out or play sports, but it also includes folks who are walking around campus, playing an instrument or working a more physical job (we see all you servers out there). We’ve worked with painters who have had shoulder pain and computer science majors who have pain from sitting for long periods at a desk. We’ve also worked with folks that want to prevent injuries from either re-occurring or occurring based on the risk of a particular injury. Athletic Trainers are really broad-spectrum musculoskeletal experts.
Where can students find you?
VS: To find services and programs online, visit the Rec Well website and search for Nutrition Education to see upcoming classes, open houses, and information on renting the space. We are in the Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center in the main lobby next to the ice rink.
EC: Students can make an appointment with athletic training either by calling UHS at 608-265-5600 (option 1) or by going to their myUHS account to schedule. You can access this through our webpage here.
What’s your favorite part about working with students?
EC: UW-Madison students are intelligent and usually very attuned to their bodies. I love that students can work collaboratively with athletic trainers and other health professionals. They ask great questions and really own their treatment plans. They really want to use all the resources available to make themselves better.
How much do your services cost?
VS: Cooking class prices vary by the type/length of the class, ranging from $10-20 per class. Open Houses are free! We participate in the No Fee Project, so for eligible students, all NE services are free. Dietitian services at UHS are at no cost for students.
EC: Athletic Training services are a part of the student segregated fee. Currently, there are no additional charges unless the student is referred for further imaging or services or for some select medical equipment (braces, crutches, therapeutic exercise equipment, etc)
What’s a piece of advice you would give students about staying healthy?
EC: Just one?! There are so many simple things that students can do to stay healthy. My favorite pieces of advice are 1) stay moving! Simply walking around campus or standing up from your computer throughout the day can go a really long way. 2) Progress activity slowly. Don’t just jump into a new program or training plan without a gradual progression. We see so many injuries in clinic from students trying to follow a “plan” that is too aggressive for where they’re starting at.
VS: Erin’s thoughts align with nutrition too! Though, I’d want everyone to know nutrition can be simple and sometimes boring. Having regular meals and snacks that include a variety of foods is a great start for most people!
What’s an example of a realistic way I can use athletic training and nutrition in Rec Well to stay healthy and active?
VS: A nutrition check-in can always be helpful for students! Working with dietitians at UHS can offer that one-on-one support. For the teaching kitchen, we are here to build your confidence or teach a new skill so that when you are on your own, you can support yourself by fueling properly.
EC: I love collaborating with our nutrition professionals when working with patients. Many different types of patients would benefit from a nutrition consult. Students who have a history of either stress related injuries, recurrent injuries, or delayed healing would do well from a nutritional consult. Students who were used to working out but then see a decline in activity due to surgery or injury may also have a different nutritional requirement for their body, and this would best be reviewed by a dietitian. Like Veronica said, fueling a non-injured body can also be critical in reducing the risk of injury so learning how to do that is important!
Students can find out more about these services through our webpages below.
ATHLETIC TRAINING NUTRITION EDUCATION