Preventing Injuries in Childhood Sports

With the new school year comes the return of Fall sports. Participating in organized sports has many benefits for children including improved social skills, reduced risk of obesity, and better mental health. But sports also come with the risk of physical injury. While most parents today are rightly focused on the risk of concussion and traumatic brain injury, it is worth remembering that it is much more common for childhood sports to cause sprain/strain injuries from trauma or overuse. In my practice, I see many children with sports-related injuries that often could have been prevented by following these simple tips:

1. Warm-up. It is important to warm up the muscles before a practice or game in order to reduce the risk of sprain/strain injuries. This may include things like jumping jacks, arm circles, and leg swings. Talk to your child about the importance of such exercises. If you find that the coach is not incorporating a warm-up into the routine, be sure to ask for it.

2. Stretch. Stretching after practices and games is vital to maintaining muscle health. This is often skipped by coaches, especially for elementary and middle school level sports. Take an active roll in encouraging your child to stretch when they get home if you know that organized stretching was skipped after a game. Your child should stretch out all major muscle groups and hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Ten minutes of stretching after each practice and game can make a huge difference in a child’s ability to have an injury-free season.

3. Wear safety gear, but know it’s limits. It is extremely important that children wear the appropriate and properly fit safety gear while participating in their chosen sport. However, both parents and children must also understand that protective gear should not be relied upon to prevent injuries. Make sure that coaches are also teaching children proper technique so they can avoid situations that put their safety gear to the test.

4. Do not play through pain. Kids should know that playing through pain is not the “tough” or “brave” thing to do. Pain is the body’s way of telling you that something is very wrong and that you need to rest. Continuing to play when she is experiencing pain will put your child at risk of causing a severe injury that could put her on the bench for the rest of the season.

5. Practice yoga. Yoga has many benefits for children, from improving concentration to regulating emotions to developing balance and coordination. Yoga is also a great tool for building long, lean, strong muscles that are less prone to injury. You can find lots of great classes as well as wonderful online videos geared towards children and teens. I also highly recommend starting a family home yoga practice so you can all share the benefits of yoga together.

6. Massage. No one is too young or too old for massage! If your child develops an injury during or after athletic activity, the first stop should always be the pediatrician to determine that there are no breaks or severe sprain/strain injuries. If no major injuries are found but unexplained pain persists, massage therapy is a great option. Massage can help children recover very quickly from minor overuse problems associated with sports. Massage can also help children with emotional stress and sleep problems that often surface with the return to school. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions about the pediatric massage options available at Peacock Bodyworks.