Tips on Prevention of Sports Injuries
July 9, 2008
Perhaps the most basic way to reduce injury is to play according to the rules, though if the media are to be believed this presents the greatest growth area in the league table of sporting trauma. The laws of all sports were designed to ensure a level playing field but the increasing use of blatant fouls and cheating as the prizes grow larger can only contribute to the growing toll of injury.
Overuse injuries are a growing component of both a general medical and pediatric practice. Recognizing that a particular sport may adversely affect a given area should make prevention easier. A careful evaluation can often identify root causes and provide the opportunity to offer the athlete tips on injury prevention and rehabilitation. Focusing on more common conditions characterized by overuse (Table 1) can help guide the initial evaluation and treatment while reducing morbidity in an active population.
The two best predictors of injury
If you have been injured before then you are much more likely to get hurt than an athlete who has been injury free. Regular exercises have a way of uncovering the weak areas of the body. If you have knees that are put under heavy stress, because of your unique biomechanics during exercises, your knees are likely to hurt when you engage in your sport for a prolonged time. After recovery, you re-establish your desired training load without modification to your biomechanics then your knees are likely to be injured again.
The second predictor of injury is probably the number of consecutive days of training you carry out each week. Scientific studies strongly suggest that reducing the number of consecutive days of training can lower the risk of injury. Recovery time reduces injury rates by giving muscles and connective tissues an opportunity to restore and repair themselves between work-outs.
Preventing and Treating Injuries
Childhood sports injuries like Raoul’s may be inevitable, but there are some things you can do to help minimize the risk. When injuries do occur, there are often things you can do on your own to treat them.
Prevention:
Enroll your child in organized sports through schools, community clubs, and recreation areas that are properly maintained. Any organized team activity should demonstrate a commitment to injury prevention. Coaches should be trained in first aid and CPR, and should have a plan for responding to emergencies. Coaches should be well versed in the proper use of equipment, and should enforce rules on equipment use.
Organized sports programs may have adults on staff who are Certified Athletic Trainers. These individuals are trained to prevent, recognize, and provide immediate care for athletic injuries.
Bicycle riding
Recreational injuries to children occur most often while riding a bike.
Safety tips for riding a bike:
Adults should always supervise children who are riding bicycles.
Give your kids a sufficient amount of practice time with training wheels before allowing them to ride freely.
Helmets – Make sure your helmet meets the standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). A good bike helmet should have a chin strap and should be worn squarely on top of the head without being able to slide around.
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