Top 10 Tips To Avoid Sports Injuries in Kids by Dr Chetan Ginigeri

Common Sports Injuries

The most common injuries in sports are sprains, strains, knee, and elbow injuries.

1. Sprain

An injury that tears the ligament is called a sprain. The ligament is a fibrous band of tissue that connects bones, as the tissue is situated between two bones. Though ligament tear or sprain is a very common injury in sports, it can be painful for children. Resting is the best remedy that doctors suggest for these kinds of sprains. Proper rest, compression, and elevation of the injured party along with the application of ice packs can help the athlete overcome the injury.

2. Strain

In injury that occurs on tendons. Tendon is again a fibrous tissue that acts as a joint between a bone and a muscle. Tendons are very much exposed to minor traumatic injuries or overuse injuries.

RICE Can Effectively Deal With Such Most Common Injuries

• Resting properly.
• Ice Pack application at the injured place to reduce any inflammation.
• Compressing the injured part to reduce any further swelling.
• Elevating the injured part. This can help in soothing the pain as elevating ensures proper blood circulation.

Uncommon Sports Injuries

There are some uncommon traumatic injuries like UCL for elbow and shoulder, ACL, and meniscus for knees.

1. Ulnar Collateral Ligament(UCL)

The Ulnar Collateral Ligament is a fibrous band of tissue that is present in the elbow. A tear UCL is an overuse injury. This is caused by the heavy stress put on the elbow during sports.

UCL injury can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, suggested rest, and proper ice pack application.

An extremely traumatic UCL might demand surgery.

2. Anterior Cruciate Ligament(ACL)

Anterior Cruciate Ligament is again a band of tissue that is present in the knee. A tear in the ACL is again an overuse injury that is caused by heavy exercise and sports that stress the knees. The meniscus is a shock absorber that is located in the knee joint. Meniscus tear is a common overuse injury that is caused during sports. An ACL injury can be more serious than Meniscus.

Growth plate injuries are another type of traumatic injury that mostly occurs in kids. Growth plate injuries can become serious. They can be identified if your child is unable to put any pressure on limbs, has pain in limbs, and feels difficulty while running and walking. Consult your doctor immediately if you notice any symptoms of growth plate injury in your child.

Top 10 Tips to Avoid Sports Injuries in Kids

Though most sports injuries are very common, a regular check on your child’s daily sports activity can help you identify what they are going through. This can also help you avoid these kinds of injuries by following some simple tips that are discussed here.

1. Use Proper Equipment

A well-equipped athlete can easily avoid many commonly occurring  injuries. It is very important to make sure your child is in the right place for their training. A place where the trainer is very well aware of all the safety equipment that a kid can need while playing the game. The trainer must possess a first aid kit at the institute. Children should wear safety equipment like a helmet, face guards, and proper eyewear if necessary. It may not shield from every injury but helps in reducing the risk of severe injuries.

[Read : Bike Helmet For Kids]

2. Ensure Proper Supervision

It is always important to talk to your child about their day-to-day activities. Know what your child is going through. Help them understand that they’ll have to talk to their parents when they feel something is not right with them while playing the sport. Ensure proper supervision of the child. If your child has any underlying health problems, talk to the doctor. Doctors can help in dealing with the situation in the right way without having to quit the game.

Check if there is any change in their game or behavior while playing. Get them out of the game if you observe any abnormal behavior like pressing their legs or if you observe any abrupt pause in their game. Do not let them try high-risk activities without supervision.

Make sure the floor they are playing on is not so hard. Preferring wooden floors and proper sports courts that have anti-skid flooring can be forgiving for children. Talk to their trainers about their progress. Ask them to keep you informed about any different behavior during the sport. All these precautions can help you and the child avoid both small and serious injuries to a large extent.

3. Make Sure Kids are Completely Fit

Fitness plays a very important role in an athlete’s life. Being fit can help them play a powerful and competitive game. Taking your child to regular health checkups can help. Repetitive injuries might occur if the child is not fit for the game. Also, there are chances that the injury can be serious and might demand your child to quit the game permanently.

Make sure your child gets a proper medical examination before the sport. Before letting the child in for the sport, discuss the medical history of your children with their coach or trainer. Medical complications like asthma and lung diseases need proper attention as these can aggravate during any sport.

4. Warm-Up and Cool-Down

Warm-up is a vital first step before entering any sport. It is very important to warm ourselves up before any heavy activity that we are going to do. Instruct your child to do some bends and stretches. Running, jogging 10 or 20 minutes before the game can help the muscles loosen up. This can also help the body be flexible and prepare for the sport. With those flexible and favorable muscles and body, he can play a swift and effective game.

It is also important to cool down after the sport. Let your child relax. Make sure the heart rate comes to normal before they carry on with any further activity.

5. Avoid Dehydration

Athletes lose a lot of water from their bodies through sweating. Dehydration causes weakness and slows down the game. A hydrated body stays active since water is an important component of the human body. Drinking water 2 hours before the sport can help the child stay hydrated and active.

• Avoid drinking water right before or immediately after the sport.
• Drinking plain water is much better than using any sugar-filled drinks.
• Avoid sugar-filled drinks.
• Understand the reason behind the loss of fluids from the body. Most fluid loss for athletes can be in the form of sweating.
• It is very important to replace the fluid loss with the right amount of water.
• Taking 10-12 ounces of water 2 hours before the sport can help maintain the fluids in the body.
• Dehydration can cause extreme sweating, dark urination, and shortness of breath. Ignoring the loss of fluid can even lead to a stroke.
• So, it is very important to make sure that your child is constantly staying hydrated to avoid these troubles.

6. Recognize Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries are the injuries that are associated with muscles and tendons. Overuse injuries can occur due to damage to the tissues. This can cause bruising of the bones, tendon, and ligament tears that lead to stress fractures, and growth plate injuries in pediatric athletes.

The factors behind these are as follows.

• Abrupt winding of the sport before time.
• Overtraining.
• Sudden prolonged involvement in any stressful physical activity.
• Excessive stress on a particular body part.
• Over exercise or warm-up before the sport.
• Improper techniques.
• Pushing through the pain.
• Inadequate rest after any injury.
• Improper medical treatments for an already occurred injury.
• Stressful and intense schedules for any competition.

Tendon tissues are the most affected parts of overuse injuries. These can damage the tissue and cause stiffness, tenderness, pain, and inflammation at the place of injury. Do not overlook the symptoms of an overuse injury as that might need immediate medical attention. Physiotherapy can reduce these kinds of traumatic injuries. Doctors might want to perform surgery in very rare cases. Anti-inflammatory drugs and proper rest under medical supervision can help an athlete get through these kinds of traumatic injuries. However, children can overcome these injuries quickly with appropriate medical attention and rest.

One can avoid these by providing:

• Appropriate protective gear for children.
• Proper training techniques.
• If you introduce the child to any new exercise or game, make sure to supervise them constantly.

[Read : Broken Bones And Fractures In Children]

7. Use Protective Gear

A well-equipped child can deliver the best game. Protection gives them the confidence to play and that is when they can deliver their best. A child needs to wear protective equipment. It can help them avoid serious injuries.

Eyewear can be goggles or a face shield. It can protect the child from unusual and sudden unexpected blows that can prove to be dangerous on the most sensitive areas like eyes and brows. A helmet can help the little athlete to avoid head, neck, and skull injuries that can occur due to a sudden fall while playing. A mouth protector and the brace are also important as they can protect the child from getting severe injuries in games like wrestling and boxing.

These can be provided by the trainers or can be purchased by the parents. Either of the options is to ensure your little athlete’s safety.

8. Provide a Healthy and Well-Balanced Diet

Kids are fussy and very picky when it comes to eating properly. A healthy diet is a big no-no for children. But, when they are keen on sports, the parents need to ensure their child is having a well-balanced diet. Make them understand how important it is to have nutritious food. The right amount of nutrition can help them have that physical energy.

What to give a child athlete for a healthy diet?

• Give a proper three-time meal that is balanced.
• Athletes will need a larger portion of protein in their diet.
• Protein-rich foods like beans, sprouts, and eggs can help with better muscle building.
• Include more fruits and vegetables in their diet.
• Make sure to include green leafy vegetables in their diet.
• Avoid giving instant energy supplements.
• Make sure the food intake is at the same time every day.
• Sudden changes in mealtime can lead to abnormal gastric issues.

Taking a well-balanced diet can help kids be energetic and active.

[Read : Healthy Eating – 10 Tips To Inculcate Healthy Eating Habits in Kids]

9. Emphasize Proper Technique and Guidelines

Right techniques and guidelines are the keys to a winner in any sport. It is very important to emphasize proper techniques for children. Coaches should be aware of proper guidelines in teaching techniques to child athletes. Because kids practice using the same. Improper teaching and practice can place children at risk of injury.

Players can avoid injuries with the use of better techniques. Coaches who teach these kinds of guidelines to children should be very well educated about the proper usage of techniques. Prefer to opt for a coach with a better experience for your child.

• Teaching the right technique to the child must be the priority for any coach.
• Observe your student if they are practicing it in the right way.
• Remember to stop them if they are practicing it in the wrong way.
• Practicing the wrong technique can cause imbalance and fall.

10. Teach Kids the Right Sportsmanship

Games involve aggression. Sometimes, the thirst to win the game might bring out unnatural behavior from the kid. These can lead to misbehaviors. Make them understand that winning is not the only purpose of the game. Teach them the true meaning of sportsmanship. It can help kids understand what healthy competition is and that winning and losing is just part of a game.

Kids these days are very keen on sports. They want to play and follow the footprints of their role models. Joining your child in any outdoor activity that involves sprinting, running and jumping can help them be very active. This will also increase their strength and ensure healthy growth. Involving in a variety of sports can help build better coordination between mind and body. It is also equally important to take care of and keep a keen eye on your child. Ensure proper protective gear. Make it a regular habit to talk with their sports coaches regarding their performance and progress. Take your children to regular health check-ups. Make sure they are fit and fine to play the game they love. Provide a balanced diet and help them understand the importance of having good food.

Being an athlete can be a very challenging part of your child’s life, but it is not tough. Constant practice with proper techniques, proper coaching under caring supervision can help the kid achieve their goals. All these precautions and protective measures can help your little athlete grow into a wonderful and confident sports person.

FAQ’s

1. How Can I Avoid Sports Injuries in My Kids?

• Talk to your kid about their daily sports activity.
• Help them understand the importance of being hydrated.
• Avoid hard floors.
• Keep an eye on the pain they complain about.
• Make sure they get regular GP check-ups.

2. How Can I Know That My Child is Injured in Sport?

• Have a conversation with their coach about their behavior on that particular day.
• Look for any indifference in their daily activities.
• Check for a swollen body part, a part that he tends to engage more in the sport.
• Talk to your General Physician and get an appointment to rule out any complications.

3. What Kind of Food Should I Give My Child For Their Fitness in Sports?

• Diet plays a very important role in being fit.
• Make sure to include green leafy vegetables in your child’s diet.
• A protein-rich diet like sprouts and eggs can help their muscles be strong.
• Make it a regular habit to include fruits and raw vegetables in their diet.

4. What is Protective Gear?

Protective gear is equipment that ensures the safety of your child while playing. Your child should be properly equipped before entering any sport. A well-equipped child will be able to avoid many serious injuries that are caused by sports.

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