Preventing Sports Injuries in Kids During and After the Game

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Preventing Sports Injuries in Kids During and After the Game

"No pain no gain.” This can be a common phrase used by coaches to make sure kids do everything possible to win. However, playing through the pain could lead to injury, and injury could lead to not being able to play at all. So what can kids do during the game to make sure they are “playing it safe?" The following is safety advice from the American Arthritis Foundation for kids and their parents on injury prevention during and after the game:

During the Game:

Check the gear. Equipment should be age appropriate, fit correctly, and worn items should be replaced. For example, running shoes should be replaced every 250 to 500 miles.
Teach your child not to play through the pain. Playing through the pain won’t make a child tougher, it will only increase the chance for injury. Make sure your child’s coach doesn’t push your child if he or she is truly in pain.
Is help handy? Make sure first aid is available at all games and practices.
Talk to and watch your child's coach. Coaches should enforce all the rules of game, encourage safe play, and understand the special injury risks young players face.
Warm-up and stretch. Warm-up and cool down exercises prevent the possibility for straining muscles or experiencing other soft tissue injuries during sports.

After the Game:

Cool down. Cool down exercises relax muscles that have tightened during exercise.
If injuries do occur, let them heal completely.Letting an injury heal completely minimizes long-term damage and playing with an injury can only make it worse.
Don’t rush. Let children ease back into their sports routine if they have been on a break, for example, during summer vacation. Make sure children exercise at home before the sport officially begins.

Source: American Arthritis Foundation.