What are best practices for patient-centered communication in athletic training?

• A. Active listening; plain-language explanations; teach-back for understanding; empathy; involving the athlete in decision-making; thorough documentation.
• B. Technical jargon; minimal explanation; avoid documenting conversations; assume understanding.
• C. Only give instructions; no questions; limit empathy.
• D. Rely on digital auto-generated summaries; skip patient education.

Answer: (A)

In athletic training, communicating with the athlete in a patient-centered way means actively engaging the athlete in the process, ensuring they understand what’s happening, and involving them in decisions about their care. The best approach combines active listening to truly hear concerns and goals, explanations in plain language so information is understandable, the teach-back method to confirm understanding, and genuine empathy to build trust. Involving the athlete in decisions respects their autonomy and tends to improve adherence to treatment plans. Thorough documentation captures what was discussed, the agreed-upon plan, and consent, which supports continuity of care and future decision-making.

This combination is superior because it enhances understanding, consent, and collaboration, all of which are essential for effective rehabilitation and injury management. In contrast, relying on technical jargon, giving minimal explanations, avoiding questions, skipping empathy, or using only digital summaries removes the personal, interactive element that motivates adherence and safe, informed decision-making.