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Protect Child Against Sports Injuries
'Prevention is better than cure' and this is what holds the key to protecting your child from sustaining injuries while playing his or her sport. Prevention and care can be taken by parents and trainers from protecting their children from sustaining injuries. Not only the parents and trainers but children too can be a bit careful and save themselves from inconvenience and trouble.
A few things which parent and coaches / trainers can take care of are:- Grouping youngsters according to skill level and size, not by chronological age during contact sports. If this is not practical, it is better to modify the sport to accommodate the needs of children with varying skill levels. This makes it a level playing field and cuts the risk of advantage to children based on their size
- Match the child to the sport and to ensure that the child is not pushed too hard into an activity that she or he may not like or be physically capable of doing
- Find sports programs where certified athletic trainers are present. These people, in addition to health care professionals, are trained to prevent, recognize, and give immediate care to sports injuries
- Ensure that children get a preseason physical exam
- Not to let a child play when injured. Care should be taken to ensure that a child should not be allowed to work through the pain
- Get the child medical attention if needed. A child who develops any symptom that persists or that affects athletic performance should be examined by a health care professional. Other clues that a child needs to see a health professional include inability to play following a sudden injury, visible abnormality of the arms and legs, and severe pain that prevents the use of an arm or leg
- Provide a safe environment for sports. A poor playing field, unsafe gym sets, unsecured soccer goals, etc., can cause serious injury to children
- Ensuring that the child refrains from bending knees past 90 degrees when doing half knee bends
- Coaches take care in ensuring that the child avoids twisting knees by keeping feet as flat as possible during stretches
- It is made sure that children wear properly fitting shoes that provide shock absorption and stability
- Wear appropriate protective gear,
- Avoid playing when very tired or in pain.
- Make sure that warm-ups and cool downs exercises are a part of their routine
Copyright, 2006 injurymanual.com
