Exercise Has Many Benefits for Children
Exercise may reduce his chances of obesity, which is becoming more common in children. It may also lessen his risk of diabetes, a disease that is sometimes associated with a lack of exercise and poor eating habits.
As a parent, it is important for you to match your children to the sport, and not push him or her too hard into an activity that he or she may not like or be capable of doing. Sports also helps children build social skills and provides them with a general sense of well-being. Sports participation is an important part of learning how to build team skills.
Sports Injury and Prevention
Here are tips to help prevent kids sports injuries.
Football
- Common injuries and locations: Bruises, sprains, strains, pulled muscles, soft tissue tears such as ligaments, broken bones, internal injuries (bruised or damaged organs), back injuries, sunburn. Knees and ankles are the most common injury sites.
- Safest playing with: Helmet; mouth guard; shoulder pads; athletic supporters for males; chest/rib pads; forearm, elbow, and thigh pads; shin guards; proper shoes; sunscreen; water.
- Prevention: Proper use of safety equipment, warm-up exercises, proper coaching and conditioning.
Basketball.
- Common injuries and locations: Sprains, strains, bruises, fractures, scrapes, dislocation, cuts,
dental injuries. Ankles, knees (injury rates are higher in girls, especially for the anterior cruciate ligament, the wide ligament that limits rotation and forward movement
of the shin bone), shoulder (rotator cuff strains and tears, where tendons at the end of muscles attach to
the upper arm and shoulder bones).
- Safest playing with: Eye protection, elbow and knee pads, mouth guard, athletic supporters
for males, proper shoes, water. If playing outdoors, add a hat and sunscreen.
- Prevention: Strength training (particularly knees and shoulders), aerobics (exercises that develop the strength and endurance of heart and lungs), warmup exercises, proper coaching, and use of safety equipment.
Soccer
- Common injuries: Bruises, cuts and scrapes, headaches, sunburn.
- Safest playing with: Shin guards, athletic supporters for males, cleats, sunscreen, water.
- Prevention: Aerobic conditioning and warm ups, and proper training in "heading" the ball. ("Heading" is using the head to strike or make a play with the ball.)
Baseball and Softball
- Common injuries: Soft tissue strains, impact injuries that include fractures due to sliding and being hit by a ball, sunburn.
- Safest playing with: Batting helmet, shin guards, elbow guards, athletic supporters for males, mouth guard, sunscreen, cleats, hat, breakaway bases.
- Prevention: Proper conditioning and warm ups.
Gymnastics
- Common injuries: Sprains and strains of soft tissues.
- Safest playing with: Athletic supporters for males, safety harness, joint supports (such as neoprene wraps), water.
- Prevention: Proper conditioning and warm ups.
Track and Field
- Common injuries: Strains, sprains, scrapes from falls.
- Safest playing with: Proper shoes, athletic supporters for males, sunscreen, water.
- Prevention: Proper conditioning and coaching.
How Your Child Can Prevent Sports Injuries
- Be in proper physical condition to play the sport.
- Know and abide by the rules of the sport.
- Wear appropriate protective gear (for example, shin guards for soccer, a hard-shell helmet when facing a baseball or softball pitcher, a helmet and body padding for ice hockey).
- Know how to use athletic equipment.
- Always warm up before playing.
- Avoid playing when very tired or in pain.
- Get a pre-season physical examination.
- Make sure there is adequate water or other liquids to maintain proper hydration.
Source
Play It Safe, a Guide to Safety for Young Athletes, reprinted with permission of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
