Skip to main content Skip to navigation Skip to navigation
  • 844-4CHILDRENS (844-424-4537) 844-424-4537
  • Patient Login (MyChart) Visit our MyChart Guide to learn more about how to create and use your MyChart account.
  • Employee and Provider Login
  • Pay My Bill
  • Careers
  • Donate Now
Visit the home page

No disponible en español

  • Home
  • Treatment
  • Patient Families
  • Visitors
  • Provider Resources
  • Research and Innovation
  • Health and Community Resources
  • Donate or Volunteer
Visit the home page
Call children's health Access medical records by logging in to MyChart Find Bill Pay options here Find Children's Health Locations Find Children's Health Doctors
  • Home
  • Treatment
    • Treatment Home
    • Departments and Programs
    • Conditions and Treatments
    • Preventative Care and Immunizations
    • Primary Care
      • Primary Care
      • Primary Care Home
      • When to See a Primary Care Physician
      • New Patient Information
      • Preparing for Your Appointment
    • Urgent Care
    • Emergency and Trauma Care
    • Outpatient Pharmacies
    • Specialty Pharmacy
    • Remote Patient Monitoring
    • Rehabilitation and Therapy Services
      • Rehabilitation and Therapy Services
      • Rehabilitation and Therapy Services Home
      • Integrated Therapy
    • Virtual Care
      • Virtual Care
      • Virtual Care Home
      • School-Based Programs
      • Virtual Visit
      • Virtual Visit Specialty Clinics
    • Find a Doctor or Provider
    • Find a Location
    • Request an Appointment
    • US News and World Report 2022 - 2023 Ranking

      Proud to be ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties the last five years.

  • Patient Families
    • Patient Families Home
    • Resources for Your Child
      • Resources for Your Child
      • Resources for Your Child Home
      • School Services
      • Transitioning to Adult Care
      • Activities for Kids
      • Child life
    • Parent Resources
      • Parent Resources
      • Parent Resources Home
      • Language and Interpreter Services
      • Hospital Guide
      • Social Work
      • Family Resource Library
      • Medical Records Request
      • MyChart Guide
      • MyChart Bedside
      • Preparing for Your Visit or Stay at Children's
      • Spiritual Care and Education
      • Mobile App
      • Family Advisory Network
    • Travel and Lodging
      • Travel and Lodging
      • Travel and Lodging Home
      • Patient Family Lodging
      • Public Transportation
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Billing and Insurance
      • Billing and Insurance
      • Billing and Insurance Home
      • Pay My Bill
      • Family Guide to Billing
      • Billing Dictionary
      • Financial Assistance and Support
      • Common Billing Questions
      • For Patients with Insurance
      • Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills
      • Cost Estimates
    • Write a Review
    • Weather Updates
  • Visitors
    • Visitors Home
    • Policies and Procedures
      • Policies and Procedures
      • Policies and Procedures Home
      • Contacting a Patient
      • Visiting Hours and Policies
    • Hospital Guide
      • Hospital Guide
      • Hospital Guide Home
      • ATM Locations
      • Dining and Food Services
      • Gift Shops and Retail
      • Courtyard
      • Wheelchair and Disability Accessibility
      • Parking
      • WiFi and Internet Access
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Guest Relations
      • Amazon Hub Lockers
      • Charging lockers
    • Amazon Lockers Logo with Lockers

      Children’s Health is proud to become the first pediatric health system in the country to offer Amazon Lockers, self-service kiosks that allow you to pick up your Amazon packages when and where you need them most – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Learn more about Amazon Lockers.

  • Provider Resources
    • Provider Resources Home
    • Refer a Patient
      • Refer a Patient
      • Refer a Patient Home
      • Direct Admit
      • Request Medical Transport
      • Contact my Provider Liaison
      • Email Sign up Provider Newsletter
      • Login to Provider Portal
      • Provider Tools
      • Infusion Therapy Referrals
    • Education and Training
      • Education and Training
      • Education and Training Home
      • Fellowship and Subspecialty Training Programs
      • Pediatric Residency
      • Administrative Residency
      • Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency
      • Continuing Education
      • Pharmacy Residency
      • Clinical Pastoral Education
      • Child Life and Music Therapy Training Opportunities
      • Pediatric Emergency Services Network
      • Student Affiliations
      • Student Internships
      • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
      • Scholarships
      • Andrews Physical Therapy Residency
      • Community Partner
    • Medical Staff Services
    • Nursing Services
      • Nursing Services
      • Nursing Services Home
      • Our Nurses
      • Our Nursing Model
      • Nursing Annual Report
      • Nursing Transition to Practice Programs
      • Nurse Externship
  • Research and Innovation
    • Research and Innovation Home
    • Clinical Trials
      • Clinical Trials
      • Clinical Trials Home
      • Research FAQs
      • Why is Research Important?
      • Research Glossary
      • Pediatric Clinical Trials & Experimental Medication
    • Research Focus Areas
      • Research Focus Areas
      • Research Focus Areas Home
      • Cardiology
      • Endocrinology
      • Gastroenterology
      • General Surgery
      • Hematology & Oncology
      • Neonatal/Perinatal
      • Nephrology
      • Neurology/Neurosurgery
      • Pulmonology
      • Urology
    • Publications
    • Research Library
    • Innovation
      • Innovation
      • Innovation Home
      • PEDS Score
      • Hackathons
      • Telemedicine
      • Center for Clinical Simulation
      • Mobile Resources
  • Health and Community Resources
    • Health and Community Resources Home
    • Health & Wellness Library
    • Community Resources
      • Community Resources
      • Community Resources Home
      • Family Education
      • School-Based Partnerships and Programs
      • Children’s Health Care Network
      • Resources for Transgender Youth and Their Families
    • DFW Children's Health Assessment
      • DFW Children's Health Assessment
      • DFW Children's Health Assessment Home
      • Beyond ABC Symposium
    • Podcasts
    • Expansion Projects
    • Fight Seasonal Allergies

      Fight seasonal allergies in kids. Learn more.

  • Donate or Volunteer
    • Donate or Volunteer Home
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Home
      • Adult Volunteer Program
      • Student Volunteer Program
      • Volunteer Dogs
      • Group Service Projects and Events
    • Donate
      • Donate
      • Donate Home
      • Donate Items
      • Make a Financial Gift
      • Handcrafted Items
    • Share Your Story
{}
Football
  • Treatments
  • Departments and Programs
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatric Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
  • Safety by sport
  • Football

Football safety

Access our Football Sports Safety sheet (PDF) here.

New rules and better equipment have improved football safety, but about one in three youth football players suffers injuries annually. This webpage provides information on the most common football injuries requiring treatment.

  • Head injuries

    A concussion is a brain injury usually caused by a sudden jolt or blow to the head or neck. An athlete does not need to be knocked out or have memory loss to have suffered a concussion. In fact, most athletes who suffer a sports-related concussion DO NOT lose consciousness.

    If an athlete has a concussion, you may observe that he:

    • Appears dazed or stunned
    • Is confused
    • Forgets plays
    • Is unsure of game, score or opponent
    • Exhibits unsteadiness
    • Moves clumsily
    • Answers questions slowly
    • Has behavior or personality changes
    • Can’t recall events either before or after hit
    • Loses consciousness

    An athlete with a concussion may have:

    • Headache
    • Concentration or memory problems
    • Nausea
    • Balance problems or dizziness
    • Double or fuzzy vision
    • Sensitivity to light or noise
    • Feelings or being “in a fog”
    • Confusion

    An athlete with signs of a concussion should be removed from play immediately and not allowed to return until evaluated by a doctor. Do not leave the athlete alone after a concussion.

    Call for immediate medical help if your child displays:

    • A headache that gets worse, lasts for a long time or is severe
    • Confusion, extreme sleepiness or trouble waking up
    • Vomiting (more than once)
    • Seizures (arms and legs jerk uncontrollably)
    • Trouble walking or talking
    • Weak or numb arms or legs
    • Any other sudden change in thinking or behavior

    Most athletes with a concussion will recover completely within a few weeks of the initial injury. Returning to play before completely recovering puts the athlete at risk for a more serious injury, long-term damage and even death.

  • Burners or stingers

    Also known as brachial plexus injuries, stingers are caused by stretching the head away from the arm. Symptoms include:

    • Numbness and/or tingling down arm
    • Burning
    • Decreased strength
    • Stinging
    • Changes in sensation

    These symptoms may be obvious or subtle, lasting a few seconds or a few minutes, and can last much longer in some cases. While symptoms are present, also watch for possible signs of concussion.

    Do not allow the child to return to play until his strength and function on the injured side matches that of the non-injured side. If raising the arm over the head or moving the elbow causes pain or limited motion, force him to rest. If the symptoms persist, take your child to his doctor or a pediatric sports medicine physician.

  • Dehydration

    Football players are at risk of dehydration if they don’t get enough fluid to replace what is lost through the skin as sweat and through the lungs while breathing. It is important to drink plenty of fluids before, during and after a workout or game. An athlete’s performance can be impacted by even mild dehydration.

    Athletes should take a water bottle to school and drink between classes and during breaks so that they are well-hydrated before their workout. In addition:

    • Water should be readily available when working out
    • Athletes should drink often – ideally every 15 to 30 minutes
    • Sports drinks are recommended for activities lasting longer than one hour to replace sugar and salt as well as water

    Early signs of dehydration can be non-specific and include:

    • Fatigue
    • Nausea
    • Irritability
    • Decreased athletic performance
    • Headache
    • Thirst
    • Apathy

    Signs of advanced dehydration include:

    • Dark urine
    • Decrease in reaction time
    • Dry lips and mouth
    • Disorientation

    Athletes with any of these signs should rest and drink water or sports drinks. If the athlete doesn’t improve, feels dizzy or faint or has not had much urine output, he should be seen by a doctor. Seek emergency treatment if the child is disoriented, unable to drink or has pale skin.

  • Bumps, bruises, twists and muscle strains

    These can affect all areas of the body. The recommended treatment response is the PRICE formula:

    • Protect the area with a sling or crutches, if necessary.
    • Rest the injured area.
    • Ice the injury for 20 minutes at a time. Do not apply the ice directly to the skin.
    • Compress the injured area with a wrap. Do not pull tightly, as this can cut off circulation.
    • Elevate the injured area above the heart, if possible.

    Athletes should see a pediatrician or pediatric sports medicine physician if any of these symptoms are present:

    • Deformity
    • Limping lasting more than 48 hours
    • Soft tissue swelling that gets worse the next day despite ice and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as Motrin®
    • Effusion – mobile soft tissue swelling on both sides of a joint, often easily seen at the knee or ankle
    • Pain that returns quickly with activity at the next session or is not gone after two weeks of forced rest
  • Sports safety

    Children ages 5 to 14 make up almost 40% of all sports injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms. Injuries in children are best handled by pediatric specialists trained in treating skeletally immature patients.

    How to protect your child

    Taking the following steps can reduce your child’s risk of getting hurt. As a parent, you should:

    • Schedule your child for an annual physical before playing sports
    • Monitor play and practice and encourage players to abide by the rules
    • Have a first-aid kit handy and an emergency action plan in place. Appropriate shelter should also be close by in case of a storm with lightning
    • Keep sports fun! Remember to be positive and don’t push kids to perform beyond their abilities.

    Make sure your young athlete:

    • Wears appropriate properly fitting safety gear, free of heavy wear and tear
    • Stays properly hydrated. Kids don’t sweat as much as adults and need to drink plenty of fluids before, during and after activity
    • Does warm-up and cool-down exercises before and after practices and games
    • Gets proper rest and avoids overdoing it.
Share:
66d7e006-8f46-45bf-96d5-71a3b4c4881d
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Dancing
  • Figure Skating
  • Flag Football
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Gymnastics
  • Ice Hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Running
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball
  • Wrestling
​
Follow Children's Health on social media
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Linked In
Subscribe to our email newsletter
1935 Medical District Drive Dallas, Texas 75235 844-4CHILDRENS 844-424-4537
  • Why Children's Health
  • About Us
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Our Difference
  • Our People
  • Sustainability Program
  • Working at Children's Health
  • Careers
  • Employee Resources
  • Billing and Insurance
  • Cost Estimates
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Terms of Use
  • Quality and Safety
  • Complaint Resolution
  • International Patient Services
  • CHNA Report
  • Supplier Portal
  • Media Toolkit
  • Newsroom
  • Gain template information in the Brand Center
  • Shop Children's Health
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
Badge: Institutional member - Children's Hospital Association

© 2022 Children's Health. All rights reserved.