Would you permit a hairdresser to do minor plastic surgery? No you go to a real doctor. Acupuncture is safe because we have been trained to keep it that way. Four years of schooling then over 3000 hours of training and then residency. Do not allow unlicensed folks to make pin cushions out of patients and our esteemed athletes. An athlete that is hurt deserves the chance for real treatment so they can make their school/team/club or country proud. The medical profession is a serious one and athletic trainers that would like to participate should go through the health care practitioner training, residency and patient management courses and get a real license to practice. It’s not like throwing ice on an injury and then sending the athletes out. Please protect our athletes and their dreams of continuing in their sport as well as the public safety. Do not allow athletic trainers to make a buck and keep people that need real care to get it from healthcare practitioners.