The affect of nutrition on fitness and performance is an area of athletic training that presents many possible research studies. For example; you can study the affects of eating breakfast on afternoon athletic performance. For such a study, you need volunteers to divide into two groups--a breakfast group and a non-breakfast group. You also need to establish performance markers and measure how those markers differ between the two groups. Another possibility is to study the affects of different pre-workout snacks on performance, such carb-based versus protein-based snacks.
Helping athletes to rehabilitate after an injury is an important part of an athletic trainer's job. To better understand this area of the field, you can put together a study on rehabilitation methods. For example; examine the effectiveness of self-guided physical therapy on certain kinds of injuries. Or study the benefits of certain nutrients on healing, like vitamin C or alpha lipoic acid.
Some athletic trainers pursue a career in sports medicine, where they help to prevent athletic injuries, to diagnose injuries that occur and to design treatment plans for injuries. Possible research ideas in the area of sports medicine might include the prevalence of dehydration at the end of a workout or practice session, or the impact of a support network on injury recovery.
When putting together a research study, begin with a clearly defined question, a statement that gives the benefit of knowing the answer, and a logical method for determining the answer. Define the variables that will affect your study and, wherever possible, include steps to account for those effects. Gather your data as accurately as possible. When writing or presenting the results of your study, consider different things that may have influenced your results, and acknowledge them as well as your own conclusions.