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What young athletes can do to
Reduce Injury Risk SPONSORED CONTENT BY ADVERTISING
Exercise is great for the body.
Scholastic and recreational sports is one of the primary ways children and adolescents get the exercise they need. Even though sports participation is relatively safe, there’s no guarantee athletes won’t suffer an injury. However, there are ways for student athletes to reduce their risk of getting hurt while playing the games they love.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF ISTOCK)
Get a sports physical
Most programs mandate an updated sports physical Maintain flexibility examination. This pre-participation physical allows for Mount Sinai says it is the screening, prevention and extremely important for treatment of any conditions athletes to perform dynamic that can affect play and constretches before starting any activity. Cold muscles are vul- tribute to injury. nerable to injury, so it’s best Gradually increase to do some sort of physical warm-up, including jumping training intensity jacks, butt kicks, running in The American Orthopedic place, or arm circles. Society for Sports Medicine indicates athletes should Practice proper always build up their training technique gradually. One way to do so is Athletes should learn to follow the 10 percent rule, which advises against increasand implement the proper techniques for whatever sport ing training activity, weight, they are playing to lower their mileage, or pace by more than injury risk. 10 percent per week.
Strengthen the core
Mount Sinai notes a strong core, which is the abdominal area of the body, can help athletes avoid injuries. Exercises that strengthen the core can improve balance, stability and strength. Youth sports attract scores of participants each year. The National Council of Youth Sports estimates that around 60 million children are registered to play youth sports in the United States. Solutions Research Group Consultants estimates that more than four million Canadian youths participate in one or more organized sports and activities. The benefits to sports play are numerous, but the advantages to being active and Don’t push through pain Rest and take breaks competitive should not overPain is one way the body Athletes who play sports shadow the need to be safe communicates that someyear-round have a greater during sports play. According thing isn’t right. At the first tendency than others to suffer to the Centers for Disease sign of pain, an athlete should overuse injuries because their Control and Prevention, neartake a break and be assessed bodies are not given an oply 2.7 million young people by a medical professional. portunity to rest and recover. are treated in the emergency Athletes should take at least room every year for sports-rePlaying through pain can one season off per year. lated injuries. make an injury worse and sideline athletes for longer Play different sports. Parents, coaches and other than expected. By participating in different adults working and volunsports, an athlete can avoid teering in youth sports must Wear the right gear using the same muscle groups learn to recognize signs that Johns Hopkins Medicine all the time. For example, the a player has become injured muscles used for swimming and address those injuries emphasizes using proper, as soon as possible. It can be well-fitting gear. Certain gear may be different from those may be cumbersome, and used for playing field hockey. hard to spot certain sports athletes may be tempted to Utilizing different muscles injuries. The following are reduces the risk for overuse some sports injuries and their forego it, but that can result injuries. symptoms. in greater injury risk.
ACL Tears
Anterior cruciate ligament injuries occur when the ligament connecting the thigh bone and the shin bone tears after an athlete suddenly turns and changes direction, which is common in many sports. Pain is often immediate when suffering a torn ACL, and swelling can occur within several hours of being injured. The child may express that they heard or felt a pop in the knee area and are having trouble supporting their weight.
Internal Abdominal Injuries
Internal injuries are less common than other sports injuries, but Stanford Medicine Children’s Health says some studies suggest they are on the rise. Injuries to the kidneys, spleen and liver can occur. These injuries can produce pain in the abdomen. The spleen is in the upper left side of the abdomen. The liver is in the upper right side. The kidneys are on the flanks of the body. Blood in urine may be a sign of internal abdominal injury and needs to be addressed promptly.
Swelling and pain usually occur on the outside of the ankle within minutes to a few hours of the injury, depending on injury severity. Because it may be impossible to differentiate an ankle sprain from an ankle fracture without an x-ray, particularly if the pain in the ankle makes putting weight on it unlikely, a visit to an orthopedic doctor may be necessary.
Broken Bones Bone fractures often happen during collisions with other players or from falls. Sometimes a fracture is obvious, but not always. A snap or grinding sound at the time of injury often signals a fracture, says VCU Health. If there’s a break in the skin and the bone is showing, or the athlete cannot bear weight or use the extremity after 15 minutes, an X-ray is likely.
Concussion
Any activity that can cause an injury to the head may lead to a concussion. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain is shaken or hit. It can cause temporary changes in brain function. The American Ankle Sprain Academy of Pediatrics says When the ankle twists or signs of a concussion can include an athlete who appears the foot rolls on its side, the ligaments that support the an- dazed or stunned. There may kle joint can stretch and tear. be confusion, and the youth
could move clumsily and answer questions slowly. An inability to recall events before or after the head trauma, or losing consciousness even briefly, are additional signs of concussion. In older children and teens, nausea, vomiting, balance problems, light sensitivity, and headache also can occur.
Growth Plate Injuries Growth plates are soft cartilage at the end of bones like the arms, legs and fingers that are replaced by strong bones as children get older and stop growing. Growth plates are more susceptible to injury than the rest of the bone. A fracture may not be readily visible in a growth plate, but doctors can look for other signs. The Mayo Clinic says pain and tenderness and an inability to move the affected area or put weight or pressure on the limb are signs of a growth plate injury. It’s important to note that growth plate fractures occasionally can be caused by overuse from repetitive throwing or during sports training. Student athletes may want to get ahead in the sports they play, but it should never be at the expense of putting their bodies at a greater risk for injury.