The New Year is upon us, and many kids may have gotten new sporting equipment over the holidays. This time of year brings new hopes, and your children may have their dreams set on becoming a star player in their sport of choice.
But with children playing competitive sports at younger and younger ages, parents need to be informed consumers and safeguard their child from injury or over-training. Competition is a cultural value in the US, and those who “play through the pain” are lauded as warriors and champions. But the standards that apply to professional sports should not be applied to youth sports. Children are still growing, and because of this, they are more prone to injuries that can become lifetime limitations if they are not handled promptly and properly.
If your child is in a sport, how can you be sure he or she is not over-training or being played too much? An organization called Safe Kids reports that, of 752 coaches surveyed nationwide, over half the coaches reported being pressured, usually by parents, but sometimes by the child, to play a child who was injured. Children sometimes hide their pain, or minimize it, so that they can play. The expectations of parents and teammates can be overwhelming for a youth athlete. The watchful parent will be aware and be sure their injured child receives proper medical attention and time to rest and heal, before being allowed to play their sport.
Youth sports foster confidence, discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship. If your child is in a sport where “winning at all costs” is the attitude, either by other parents or the coach, this is not the team for your child. Children need to learn how to cope with success and defeat, in order to put the game in a proper perspective. This in turn helps them cope with other successes and failures in their lives.
Rotating sports throughout the year will help the youth athlete maintain a balance, and work different sets of muscles, to reduce the chance of over-use injuries.
Here are a few more tips to keep your youth athletes safe:
- Be sure your child receives a pre-participation sports physical examination, to spot any potential problems ahead of time.
- Be sure your child is wearing the proper protective gear, and that it fits him or her correctly. Research the best quality and have the coach check the fit to make sure it is right.
- You child should know how to correctly use the athletic equipment, such as bindings on snow skis, etc. Here again, instruction by a professional trainer or coach is required.
- Even children need to warm up their muscles before playing. At least ten minutes of stretching and warm-ups are required.
- Kids need to stay hydrated. For proper hydration, kids should drink half their weight in ounces of water each day. So if your child weighs 120 pounds, he or she should drink 60 ounces of water daily. Beware of caffeine –loaded drinks, as they are diuretics.
- And never let your child play or train if he or she is in pain.
If you or one of your family members notice pain, stiffness, numbness or tingling in their hands, wrist, elbow or shoulder, contact Dr. Rehman for a thorough evaluation. She is a trained orthopedic doctor who specializes in the treatment of injuries and conditions of the upper body. Her team of rehabilitation specialists will implement a program of recovery so that your young athlete can get back to his or her sport with full range of motion and ability to bear weight pain-free.
Call today to schedule an appointment or to learn more: 586-532-0803
