Playing it safe with summer sports
April 24, 2001 | 12:00am
It is at this time of the year, when schools are closed, that our young children spend more time in various physical activities and sports. We all want kids and teens to grow up healthy and happy. That’s why I decided to write this article – to show you the best ways to keep your kids active and in the game.
Healthy kids are active kids. Traditional sports like basketball, football and volleyball have never been more popular. And of course, there are sports that enjoy great popularity from time to time. It was tennis sometime ago; now, it’s golf. Encouraging kids to participate in sports will help make them fit, coordinated and confident, and teach them the spirit of teamwork and fair play.
But with all that activity, injuries can happen. And, sports injuries are no fun. You can play an important role today to help prevent injuries from happening tomorrow. Experts estimate that 50 percent of all sports injuries are preventable. Here are five simple steps to help young athletes play it safe. By the way, these steps will help keep you safe, too, so don’t forget to follow them yourself!
STEP 1: Get Involved
Whether you are a parent, coach, athletic trainer, or physician, you are responsible for the safety of the kids and teens under your care. Let’s take a look at each role:
Parents: Here are three easy ways to help keep kids on the road to safety and good health. Parents should:
• Check the qualifications of prospective coaches, athletic trainers and doctors before letting a young athlete participate.
• Pay close attention to their child’s medical needs. This includes watching for signs of overexertion.
• Keep a positive, upbeat attitude – especially when the competition is fierce and emotions are running high. Never pressure kids to play a sport they don’t want to play. Reinforce the ones they do want to play.
Coaches: Coaches need to know the basics of skills development, rules, equipment maintenance, first aid, training methods and appropriate coaching behaviors, no matter what level.
Athletic trainers: Trainers can help an athlete stay in the game, or get back into the game (both physically and mentally), by working closely with the athlete, parents, coaches and doctors. By working as a team, you’ll not only fix injuries that have already occurred, but you’ll also help prevent future injuries.
Physicians and other health professionals: It’s critical that health-care providers stay involved with the athlete’s life. Start with the pre-season check-up. Then, keep medical supplies and equipment on site at sporting events and be there for assistance should an injury occur.
STEP 2: Get A Pre-Season CheckUp
A comprehensive checkup will help the doctor spot medical problems early and help prevent new ones from happening. Here’s what to expect from a comprehensive checkup:
• A complete physical exam. The doctor will get vital information from the athlete’s physical examination and use it to help keep him or her safe and healthy. For example, the doctor may prescribe special treatment or specific training programs to best help the young athlete with a pre-existing condition participate in sports and activities. Or, the doctor may suggest alternative activities if a condition stops the athlete from participating.
• A strength and flexibility exam. From this exam, the doctor can identify the strength and flexibility of the athlete’s muscles and the alignment and range of motion in the major joints. A doctor can also spot weaknesses and prescribe special training to strengthen them or correct abnormalities. All of the information can be used to bolster a young athlete’s confidence and self-esteem.
• A discussion on nutrition, drug use and mental attitude. This part of the exam gives the doctor a chance to reinforce the fact that playing sports is a fun and healthy experience. A doctor should ask questions to find out how the athlete feels about playing sports, explain the dangers of drug use, encourage a well-balanced diet and stress the importance of drinking plenty of fluids.
STEP 3: Train The Right Way
It’s vital that young athletes follow the rules and keep in mind safety first. Proper training methods can be fun and help prevent injuries at the same time. But first, let’s talk about what we mean by training.
A proper training program results in a progressive improvement in performance capacity. The coach or athletic trainer should work closely with athletes to monitor progress of the training program, and keep them on a schedule to help them achieve peak performance.
If the athlete doesn’t use proper training methods, he or she may run the risk of getting two types of injuries: acute and overuse. An acute injury comes from a sudden, single trauma, like pulling a muscle or breaking a bone. As the name implies, overuse injuries may result from the cumulative effects of repetitive movements during heavy workouts. It is important to remember that both overuse and acute injuries are preventable. Here are a few simple guidelines to help avoid both types of injuries. Remember, these are only guidelines. A doctor, coach, or athletic trainer can provide specific methods to suit an athlete’s personal needs.
• Always have warm-up and cool-down sessions. Allow plenty of time for stretching tight muscles. Warm up before and after playing any sport or doing any exercise. Also spend plenty of time cooling down when practice or games end. A coach or athletic trainer should be able to provide proper guidelines.
• Progress gradually. As time is needed to allow for adaptation to the demands of training, a young athlete’s training program should not progress rapidly. It’s back to the idea that building muscle strength and endurance should be a gradual process. Again, an athletic trainer can provide more specific information based on an athlete’s personal needs.
• Employ proper weight training techniques. For many sports, weight training with professional instruction and proper supervision is a great way to build strength safely. Especially with young athletes, the concentration should be on lifting weights to build strength. The stronger the athlete, the less likely injuries will occur.
• Modify training for different climates. For example, it takes an athlete’s body time to adjust to training in the heat. Take frequent breaks on hot, humid days. Ideally, training sessions should be scheduled to avoid times of peak heat stress.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Adequate fluid intake is necessary for an athlete’s peak performance and avoidance of heat injuries. So, it’s crucial to drink fluids before, during and after physical activity. Don’t let young athletes get dehydrated. For example, athletes involved in continuous activity should drink approximately 1-1/2 cups of water or sports drink every 15 minutes to help prevent dehydration. Having athletes drink on a schedule, not just when thirsty, will help prevent problems. Be sure to have lots of fluids available at sporting events and training sessions.
STEP 4: Use The Right Equipment And Proper Facilities
Being safe and using the right equipment go hand in hand. If you’re a parent, coach, or athletic trainer, it’s your responsibility to provide safe equipment and proper facilities. Here’s a checklist you can use to ensure safe sports:
• Be sure to have all the proper equipment.
• Be sure the equipment fits correctly.
• Inspect playing surfaces and facilities before the activity gets underway. For example, gymnastic equipment should be secure. If you’re going to play softball after dark, make sure the field is well-lit.
• Maintain athletic equipment. Keeping equipment in topnotch condition helps prevent injuries. Look for products with set rules for maintenance, servicing and safety, and follow the instructions.
• Wear appropriate clothing. What an athlete wears can help hinder the performance. Wear loose, lightweight and lightly colored clothing in hot weather.
STEP 5: Play By The Rules
Sporting events have rules to help keep players and their teammates safe. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
• To be safe, familiarize athletes with the rules for their sports.
• Encourage teamwork and good sportsmanship. One way to help prevent injuries is to encourage players to have fun and be a good sport while they compete.
So, there you have it – a guide to preventing sports-related injuries. Sounds simple? It is, and I hope that the information contained in this article makes it even easier for you to help prevent injuries. And let’s help young athletes continue to enjoy the healthy benefits of sports and exercises. Injuries don’t have to be a part of sports – not when you play it safe!
But with all that activity, injuries can happen. And, sports injuries are no fun. You can play an important role today to help prevent injuries from happening tomorrow. Experts estimate that 50 percent of all sports injuries are preventable. Here are five simple steps to help young athletes play it safe. By the way, these steps will help keep you safe, too, so don’t forget to follow them yourself!
STEP 1: Get Involved
Whether you are a parent, coach, athletic trainer, or physician, you are responsible for the safety of the kids and teens under your care. Let’s take a look at each role:
Parents: Here are three easy ways to help keep kids on the road to safety and good health. Parents should:
• Check the qualifications of prospective coaches, athletic trainers and doctors before letting a young athlete participate.
• Pay close attention to their child’s medical needs. This includes watching for signs of overexertion.
• Keep a positive, upbeat attitude – especially when the competition is fierce and emotions are running high. Never pressure kids to play a sport they don’t want to play. Reinforce the ones they do want to play.
Coaches: Coaches need to know the basics of skills development, rules, equipment maintenance, first aid, training methods and appropriate coaching behaviors, no matter what level.
Athletic trainers: Trainers can help an athlete stay in the game, or get back into the game (both physically and mentally), by working closely with the athlete, parents, coaches and doctors. By working as a team, you’ll not only fix injuries that have already occurred, but you’ll also help prevent future injuries.
Physicians and other health professionals: It’s critical that health-care providers stay involved with the athlete’s life. Start with the pre-season check-up. Then, keep medical supplies and equipment on site at sporting events and be there for assistance should an injury occur.
STEP 2: Get A Pre-Season CheckUp
A comprehensive checkup will help the doctor spot medical problems early and help prevent new ones from happening. Here’s what to expect from a comprehensive checkup:
• A complete physical exam. The doctor will get vital information from the athlete’s physical examination and use it to help keep him or her safe and healthy. For example, the doctor may prescribe special treatment or specific training programs to best help the young athlete with a pre-existing condition participate in sports and activities. Or, the doctor may suggest alternative activities if a condition stops the athlete from participating.
• A strength and flexibility exam. From this exam, the doctor can identify the strength and flexibility of the athlete’s muscles and the alignment and range of motion in the major joints. A doctor can also spot weaknesses and prescribe special training to strengthen them or correct abnormalities. All of the information can be used to bolster a young athlete’s confidence and self-esteem.
• A discussion on nutrition, drug use and mental attitude. This part of the exam gives the doctor a chance to reinforce the fact that playing sports is a fun and healthy experience. A doctor should ask questions to find out how the athlete feels about playing sports, explain the dangers of drug use, encourage a well-balanced diet and stress the importance of drinking plenty of fluids.
STEP 3: Train The Right Way
It’s vital that young athletes follow the rules and keep in mind safety first. Proper training methods can be fun and help prevent injuries at the same time. But first, let’s talk about what we mean by training.
A proper training program results in a progressive improvement in performance capacity. The coach or athletic trainer should work closely with athletes to monitor progress of the training program, and keep them on a schedule to help them achieve peak performance.
If the athlete doesn’t use proper training methods, he or she may run the risk of getting two types of injuries: acute and overuse. An acute injury comes from a sudden, single trauma, like pulling a muscle or breaking a bone. As the name implies, overuse injuries may result from the cumulative effects of repetitive movements during heavy workouts. It is important to remember that both overuse and acute injuries are preventable. Here are a few simple guidelines to help avoid both types of injuries. Remember, these are only guidelines. A doctor, coach, or athletic trainer can provide specific methods to suit an athlete’s personal needs.
• Always have warm-up and cool-down sessions. Allow plenty of time for stretching tight muscles. Warm up before and after playing any sport or doing any exercise. Also spend plenty of time cooling down when practice or games end. A coach or athletic trainer should be able to provide proper guidelines.
• Progress gradually. As time is needed to allow for adaptation to the demands of training, a young athlete’s training program should not progress rapidly. It’s back to the idea that building muscle strength and endurance should be a gradual process. Again, an athletic trainer can provide more specific information based on an athlete’s personal needs.
• Employ proper weight training techniques. For many sports, weight training with professional instruction and proper supervision is a great way to build strength safely. Especially with young athletes, the concentration should be on lifting weights to build strength. The stronger the athlete, the less likely injuries will occur.
• Modify training for different climates. For example, it takes an athlete’s body time to adjust to training in the heat. Take frequent breaks on hot, humid days. Ideally, training sessions should be scheduled to avoid times of peak heat stress.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Adequate fluid intake is necessary for an athlete’s peak performance and avoidance of heat injuries. So, it’s crucial to drink fluids before, during and after physical activity. Don’t let young athletes get dehydrated. For example, athletes involved in continuous activity should drink approximately 1-1/2 cups of water or sports drink every 15 minutes to help prevent dehydration. Having athletes drink on a schedule, not just when thirsty, will help prevent problems. Be sure to have lots of fluids available at sporting events and training sessions.
STEP 4: Use The Right Equipment And Proper Facilities
Being safe and using the right equipment go hand in hand. If you’re a parent, coach, or athletic trainer, it’s your responsibility to provide safe equipment and proper facilities. Here’s a checklist you can use to ensure safe sports:
• Be sure to have all the proper equipment.
• Be sure the equipment fits correctly.
• Inspect playing surfaces and facilities before the activity gets underway. For example, gymnastic equipment should be secure. If you’re going to play softball after dark, make sure the field is well-lit.
• Maintain athletic equipment. Keeping equipment in topnotch condition helps prevent injuries. Look for products with set rules for maintenance, servicing and safety, and follow the instructions.
• Wear appropriate clothing. What an athlete wears can help hinder the performance. Wear loose, lightweight and lightly colored clothing in hot weather.
STEP 5: Play By The Rules
Sporting events have rules to help keep players and their teammates safe. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
• To be safe, familiarize athletes with the rules for their sports.
• Encourage teamwork and good sportsmanship. One way to help prevent injuries is to encourage players to have fun and be a good sport while they compete.
So, there you have it – a guide to preventing sports-related injuries. Sounds simple? It is, and I hope that the information contained in this article makes it even easier for you to help prevent injuries. And let’s help young athletes continue to enjoy the healthy benefits of sports and exercises. Injuries don’t have to be a part of sports – not when you play it safe!
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