Sports participation is one of the best ways to keep your child fit and healthy, but it also comes with the inevitable risk of injury. At any moment, your child could be on the sidelines nursing a sprain, strain, stress fracture — you name it.
That’s where our sports medicine specialists at Somers Orthopaedic Surgery come in.
We have years of experience treating sports injuries and, perhaps just as importantly, educating our patients on injury prevention strategies.
If you are a young athlete, this blog is for you. Here are some of the best ways to help keep your kid safe from injury this season.
You might think your child is most likely to become injured if they get knocked down or hit with a ball; however, most injuries in young athletes are due to overuse, which is a part of virtually every type of sport.
For that reason, we recommend putting your child in a variety of sports or at least cross-training different areas of their body.
If your kid is a star on the volleyball court, make sure they aren’t jumping and pounding on their joints for months on end. Work with their coaches and our specialists to find complementary exercises that give their body a break from the demands of their preferred sport.
We know that youth sports have become increasingly demanding, but your child’s body also has certain demands, namely rest.
They should try to take at least one day off a week and one full month off a year to allow their bodies to heal and recover properly.
Make sure your child has every piece of gear necessary and that it all fits properly. This includes pads (neck, shoulder, elbow, chest, knee, and shin), helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups, and eyewear.
Remember that wearing protective gear doesn’t guarantee they won’t sustain an injury, but it does reduce their risk significantly.
Strong, flexible muscles are less likely to tear and are more apt to help joints take on extra stress. Talk to your child’s coaches and trainers about the type of conditioning exercises they implement in practice to help strengthen and tone your child’s muscles.
Also, encourage your child to stretch regularly after games and practices and on their days off to stay one step ahead of injuries.
Whether your kid loves to golf or make huge tackles on the football field, every sport requires no small amount of technique. If your child makes awkward movements, their chances of sustaining an overuse injury skyrocket.
Have your young athlete’s form and technique evaluated to ensure that each movement is helping them play at an elite level and avoid injury.
Many sports have strict rules against certain dangerous movements. Make sure your kid knows how to slide, tackle, and take a hit without injuring themselves or others on the field.
We understand how highly coveted playing time is, but if your child plays through an injury, they risk spending more time on the sidelines. Encourage your child to report every twinge and tweak to their coaches and trainers to prevent a minor injury from becoming a season-ender.
Your child’s nutrition and hydration go a long way in keeping them safe from injury. A tired, dehydrated athlete is more likely to make a mistake during a practice or game that could result in an injury.
Make sure they eat a balanced diet and hydrate all day long to fuel their bodies and perform at their best (and safest).
Our office is a great place to ask questions and raise concerns. We can walk you through proper nutrition, stretching and strengthening training programs, form and technique correction, and other injury prevention strategies.
We’re also here when the worst happens, and your child needs help healing from an injury.
If you'd like to talk with a sports medicine specialist before another season starts, call or click to schedule an appointment with our experts.
