Weekend Warriors Beware:
Protect Yourself
and Your Kids this Season
Kids and Sports
Each year, it is estimated that more than 5 million
children nationwide visit the emergency room due
to sports-related injuries. The National Youth
Sports Safety Foundation (NYSSF), reports that
sports activities are the second most frequent
source of injuries for both male and female adolescents
(http://www.nyssf.org).
The good news is these injuries can be avoided
with easy safety precautions.
Don’t hesitate to learn what is expected
of your son or daughter. Ask the coach, “What
will be physically expected of my son/daughter
during the season?” and make sure your child
is aware of the physical demands of the sport.
Does the coach have a plan when an injury occurs?
Is there a first aid kit on site? Does the coach
know CPR or First Aid? Make sure the facility
and adults on-site are able to handle an emergency.
Warm up and cool down exercises and stretches
are important for injury prevention. Muscles that
are not warmed up are prone to strains and pulls.
Muscles that don’t cool down are prone to
soreness after activity.
Many sports related injuries are brought on by
the parents of team members. These are the injuries
that don’t require a trip to the emergency
room. They can be blows to a child’s ego
brought on with words, not physical contact.
Focus on being positive role models for your
children by showing good sportsmanship and support
for the team. Don’t force your children
to participate in a sport if they don’t
want to play. Encourage your child to treat all
members of the team with fairness and respect.
Weekend Warriors - A Shock to the Body
Shunning exercise all week, a weekend warrior
likes to give 110 percent on the weekends. The
problem is that the body spends the rest of the
week doing nothing but recovering.
The most common injuries are strains and sprains.
A strain
is a stretching of the muscle tissue or tendon.
A sprain
is a stretching or tearing of a ligament most
likely from a fall, twist, or bad footing.
Both injuries can be treated with rest, ice,
compression, and elevation (RICE), but a better
idea is to learn how to prevent the injury before
it happens.
Train your body by participating in some form
of physical activity throughout the week rather
than just on the weekend. By building endurance,
you build and strengthen muscle.
Warming up before you exercise and cooling down
with stretching are always important. Run a few
laps or jump rope before you take on anything
too vigorous. When you are done, cool down so
your muscles don’t tighten up.
Know your limits and stay within them. Just like
you wouldn’t expect a novice athlete to
play with the pros, you shouldn’t expect
to keep up with friends that are stronger and
have more stamina.
Remember that exercise and sports should be fun.
Physical activity can help control weight, boost
immunity, and keep you physically and mentally
healthy. The fresh air, exercise, and socialization
will bring long lasting benefits for seasons to
come.
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