More than 3.5
million U.S. children ages 14 and younger suffer a sports or
recreation-related injury each year.
Children and young adults are
growing and developing coordination, so they may be more prone to
injury than older adults. And as the popularity of sports grows,
more children risk injury - especially girls.
It's vital to
a child's health to stay active, but you can reduce your child's
risk of getting hurt. Here are some tips to ensure a safe and fun
sports experience:
- Go for a
physical. All children should have an annual physical before joining any
sport.
- Wear the right safety gear.
Those who ride skateboards or scooters, for instance, need wrist
guards as well as helmets and knee pads, because children often hurt
their wrists by reaching out to break a
fall.
- Ensure that safety gear fits properly. An oversized helmet
can make it hard to see and may be more dangerous than no helmet at
all.
- Keep competitors comparable. In
organized sports, your child should have teammates and opponents at
similar stages of physical development.
- Know
whom to call. Make sure coaches and supervisors know basic
first aid and emergency telephone numbers in the event of a
serious injury.
- Stay hydrated. Children
should get enough to drink. Dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion and
heat stroke.
- Don't overdo it. Children
should get proper rest and avoid overexertion. Baseball,
basketball, running, gymnastics and swimming cause the most overuse
injuries in youngsters.
- Add a variety of
sports. Participating in a variety of activities may be best, says Dr.
Philip Wilson, an orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at
Children's Medical Center Dallas. "Year-round single-sport training
can result in repetitive injury of immature musculoskeletal
structures."
- Train to prevent injury.
Functional strength and coordination training may prevent knee and ankle
injuries. This may be particularly important for girls in running
and cutting sports such as basketball, Dr. Wilson
says.
- Above all, keep sports fun. Dr. Wilson warns
parents not to put pressure on their children to perform. "Making a
situation super competitive is not the way to go," he says. "If you
put children in aggressive single-sport training when they are not
developmentally ready, you can increase the risk for injury.
Encourage a variety of sports and provide positive, low-pressure support
for activities they enjoy."
Click here to view more
information on sports injury prevention from www.childrens.com.
