Sprained knees and twisted ankles sound painful, but someone has to deal with these problems and the UW-Stout Athletic Training Center does just that, working with 14 intercollegiate programs.

The center is headed by Susan Lew, who came to Stout in the summer of 2000 after three years as the head trainer at Mt. Senario College in Ladysmith. Lew received her degrees from UW-Eau Claire and South Dakota State University and served internships with the Comprehensive Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Clinic and the Chippewa Valley Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Clinic, both in Eau Claire.

Assisting Lew is assistant athletic trainer Heidi Otterholt, a 1999 graduate of UW-Eau Claire, and a staff of as many as 15 student trainers, many of them student/athletes with an interest in becoming National Athletic Training Association (NATA) certified.

The Athletic Training Center serves more than 450 varsity athletes by covering practices, games and many other events. The Athletic Training Center also staffs clinics and tournaments held on campus.

All rehabilitation and treatment is under the direction of team physicians Dr. Bill Morin and Dr. Dave VandeLoo from the Midelfort Clinic in Eau Claire, and Dr. Paul McNally from the Red Cedar Medical Center in Menomonie. The physicians assist with weekly visits to the Athletic Training Center and with event coverage.

The Athletic Training Center is well equipped with four ultrasound units, two muscle stimulation units and a jobst compression unit along with three whirlpools used for hydrotherapy. The rehabilitative equipment consists of two stationary cycles, an upper body ergometer, a recumbent cycle, stairmaster and treadmill.

The area of rehabilitation has received a big boost with a three year, $15,000 commitment from the Mayo Health Systems, which includes the Red Cedar Medical Center in Menomonie and Midelfort Clinic and Luther Hospital in Eau Claire.