Children and Sports-Related Injuries

Keeping Your Active Child Safe

Almost 75 percent of families with children between the ages of 5 and 18 have at least one child who plays organized sports, either at school or on a community team. This may seem like a good thing; after all, there's the benefits of learning to work together as a team, building camaraderie and participating in consistent physical activity. However, parents need to pay special attention to the potential injuries that can occur at any time.

Concussions: The Silent Injury
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 300,000 children and adolescents suffer from sports-related concussions each year. Many of these children will recover within just a few weeks, but research is proving that this "silent injury" can have long-lasting effects that are easy to miss at the time of the injury. Symptoms such as memory problems, chronic headaches, difficulty concentrating and even depression can manifest for months and even years after a serious concussion. Many doctors and parents have also noticed abrupt personality changes following a serious sports-related head injury.

Repetitive Stress Syndrome
Sports that require your child to move one arm or leg repetitively over long periods of time (baseball and tennis are good examples) can actually cause repetitive stress syndrome (RSS) to their still-developing spine and extremities. The body was designed to move symmetrically. When we walk, we tend to swing both arms rhythmically as our legs move in counter-motion to our arms. This develops muscle tone evenly and keeps the spine in proper alignment. However, many sports require participants to use their dominant arm or leg repeatedly, discouraging symmetry in their body movements.

How to Reduce Injury Risk
Teach your child to listen to their pain. The concept of pain should be taught to children as an important warning signal from the body that something is wrong and should be checked out. Taking prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers effectively masks the warning signal, which means children will tend to overextend themselves, resulting in a worsening of the underlying problem. This is why forward-thinking coaches, athletes and doctors (and parents) have come to realize that painkillers are not the answer. Painkillers merely cover up the pain and deceive the athlete into believing they can do more than they actually should.