 Keep Young Athletes Safe: Your Guide to Preventing Sports Injuries School is back in session, and so are fall sports! Whether your child plays soccer, football, volleyball, or is running cross country, keeping them injury-free should be your top priority. The good news? Most youth sports injuries can be prevented with the right approach. Start with Smart Conditioning Conditioning is the foundation of injury prevention. Young athletes should begin training at least 4-6 weeks before their sport starts. This gives their bodies time to adapt slowly. Start with the basics like jogging, jumping jacks, and bodyweight squats. Add sport-specific drills gradually. A soccer player might begin with light ball work, while a runner starts with short, easy distances. The key word here is "gradually" – adding too much too soon leads to injuries. The Power of a Proper Warm-Up Never skip the warm-up! A good warm-up is like starting your car on a cold morning. It gets everything moving smoothly. Spend 10 - 15 minutes doing light cardio and dynamic stretches. Think leg swings, arm circles, and gentle lunges. Save static stretching (where you hold the stretch) for after practice. Recovery is Not Optional Here's what many parents don't realize: rest days are as important as training days. During rest, muscles repair and grow. Young athletes need at least one full rest day per week. They also need 8-9 hours of sleep each night. Watch for signs your child needs more rest. Are they more tired than usual? Getting sick often? Complaining of aches and pains? These are red flags that they're overdoing it. Fuel the Machine Good nutrition powers performance and prevents injuries. Make sure your young athlete eats regular meals with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Don't forget hydration! Water should be their go-to drink, save the sports drinks for when they're exercising for over an hour. Listen to Their Body Teach your child that pain is not normal. The old saying "no pain, no gain" is dangerous for young athletes. Some muscle soreness after hard workouts is normal, but sharp pain or pain that doesn't go away needs attention. Help your young athlete learn to pay attention to their body, and to understand the difference. When to See a Professional If your child has pain that lasts more than a few days, affects their daily activities, or keeps them from playing their best, it's time to see your physical therapist. Early treatment prevents small problems from becoming big ones. Remember, the goal is to keep sports fun while building lifelong healthy habits. With proper preparation and smart training, your young athlete can have a safe and successful season! 
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 Physical therapists are experts in dealing with injuries, but your PT can't help if they don't know about your injury! You might be wondering who would keep an injury secret. The answer is lots of people! The first thing that comes to your mind might be an athlete, like a football player, or maybe a baseball pitcher. But athletes aren't the only ones that keep injury secrets. Performers like dancers keep injury secrets, and so do workers in all types of jobs. Why would anyone want to keep their injury secret instead of getting it treated and letting it heal? Read on… Stigma Although there have been big improvements in the culture around sports, performing arts, and worker's comp, some people still have the old "no pain, no gain" attitude. To some people, reporting an injury is an act of weakness, or a way of letting the team down. There can also be external pressure from coaches, parents, teammates, supervisors, or fans to keep playing or working. Fear of Loss With the focus on head injuries in recent years, athletes that get hit in the head know if they report concussion symptoms, they're coming out of the game. Workers who get hurt on the job fear loss of pay, or loss of their job. Performers who get hurt might fear that their replacement will outshine them on the stage and take their place. Competitive Advantage While the first two reasons can apply to athletes, performers, workers and most any other group that might be hiding an injury, this one is limited to athletes. If an opposing team knows a player is injured, and what the injury is, they might be able to take advantage of it. For example, if a football team has a running quarterback that has an ankle injury, it will change how the opposing defense plays. These reasons all make some sense, but they're also all shortsighted. Finishing a game, dancing tomorrow night, or working one more shift are never worth your long term health. Hiding a minor injury can turn it into a major one. It's never weak to report an injury and you're not letting your teammates, or coworkers down. If you're not up to your best, you owe it to the people counting on you to let them know. Letting a healthy player, performer, or worker take your place is the right thing to do. If you're injured, don't hide it! Let the right people know, then go to the right person for help - your physical therapist!  |
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