Protecting young athletes from sports injuries

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, 46.5 million children participate in sports each year in the United States. One in three of those children who play a team sport will be injured seriously enough to miss practice or games.
To help keep your young athlete from being sidelined from a sports-related injury, it is important parents and coaches understand how to prevent and treat some of the most common types of sports-related injuries, such as sprains, muscle strains, bone or growth plate injuries, repetitive motion injuries and heat-related injuries.
Before playing organized sports, young athletes should receive a pre-participation physical exam (PPE) performed by a doctor, nurse practitioner or qualified physician to clear your child of any underlying conditions that may put them at an increased risk for sports-related injuries.
Parents should meet with coaches prior to your child’s first practice to inform them of any health conditions that may require special attention. It is also a good idea for coaches to have a complete list of emergency
contact and allergy information on hand for each player should an emergency take place.
The occurrence of some sports injuries is beyond our control, but there are some preventative steps that may help to decrease your child’s chance of developing a sports-related injury. All physical activities
should begin with a gentle warm-up. A 10-minute warm-up and stretch increases blood flow, releasing muscle tension and allowing for more flexibility and a decreased chance of injury.
Young athletes should be encouraged to stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after physical activity to help prevent heat-related injuries and dehydration.
It is also important parents and coaches ensure athletes are using appropriate and properly-fitted sports gear.
While sports gear is typically designed to prevent or reduce the severity of sports-related injuries, poor-fitting gear or gear used incorrectly could result in more serious injuries.
Overuse is one of the most common and most preventable sports injuries of young adults.
Young athletes should modify their training to accommodate the level of physical activity for which they are comfortable and work to build up their strength and endurance at a healthy pace. It is equally important
to remind young athletes to discontinue training once they begin to feel fatigued.
Without adequate rest, their muscles will not have time to fully recover in-between practices, increasing their risk of injury.
Although these preventative measures may help to reduce your young athlete’s chance of suffering from a sports-related injury, even following these steps doesn’t guarantee complete protection from injury.
Many common sports injuries are mild to moderate and can be treated at home, but even these injuries may take several weeks or months to fully heal.
If your young athlete experiences a minor sports-related injury, restricting activity and using a brace, a splint or crutches can help to protect from worsening the injury or re-injury. Applying ice to the affected area(s) immediately after suffering the injury will act as an anti-inflammatory. If possible, using an elastic bandage for compression and/or elevating the injury above the heart will also help to reduce swelling.
While these at-home treatments may help to heal minor to moderate sports-related injuries, parents and coaches should know the signs and symptoms of more serious injuries and understand when to seek medical attention.
If there are any deformities of the joint or bone, your young athlete cannot bear weight or use their limb without it giving way, there is excessive swelling, there are changes in the skin color beyond mild bruising or the injury is not getting better even after a few days of at-home therapy, then it could be a sign of a more serious injury. Should a parent or coach notice any of the aforementioned signs or suspect a more serious injury, the injured athlete should be evaluated and cleared by a medical professional. When in doubt, check it out.
If you have a young athlete that experiences an injury, selecting a medical team to provide comprehensive, quality sports medicine and orthopedic care is essential to get them back in the game. South Louisiana Medical Associates offers a wide-range of healthcare services and expert advice from qualified sports medicine experts who can guide your young athlete on the road to recovery.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ziles is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who recently joined the South Louisiana Medical Associates’ team at its Morgan City location. He has more than 10 years of experience, most recently from Wheeling Hospital Center for Orthopedics in West Virginia. For more information about SLMA or to schedule your consultation, visit www.slma.cc or call 985-300-5438.