Parents Can Help Prevent Kids' Sports Injuries

By Dana Galbraith, M.D.
Family Medicine Specialist
St. Anthony’s Medical Center

After a winter we thought would never end, spring is finally here.  Your kids, bored and restless from being cooped up indoors, are ready to hit the ball fields and playgrounds.  They can’t wait to ride their bicycles, scooters and skateboards.

But are they really ready?  Each year in the U.S., some 3.5 million children under age 15 get hurt playing sports, with about 775,000 requiring treatment in hospital emergency rooms.  Many of these injuries could be prevented with proper training, conditioning and equipment. 

With adult supervision and instruction, training may include weightlifting and other physical exercises, to help increase a young athlete’s strength and stamina.  Aerobic activities like track and field sports can improve an athlete’s speed and fitness.  A month before the season begins, kids should get involved in a general physical activity once or twice a week, working up to three or four times a week by the time team workouts start.  Youth should be encouraged to train for the sport rather than expecting the sport itself to get them into shape.

Most types of physical harm experienced by young athletes fall into two basic categories: Overuse injuries and acute injuries.  Overuse damage includes a series of small injuries to immature bodies, resulting in minor fractures, minimal muscle tears or progressive bone deformities. Children are especially vulnerable to overuse injuries because their bones are still growing. Acute injuries, the most common, are caused by sudden trauma and include bruises, sprains, strains and fractures.  Warming up before, and cooling down after, any intense sport activity is important in preventing kids' injuries, especially during growth spurts.

Making sure your child has – and uses – the proper equipment can prevent many injuries.  Face masks, mouth guards, shin guards and other protective gear greatly reduce the likelihood and severity of injuries.  Eye protection, such as a face mask or goggles, should be worn for all impact sports.  Approximately 30 percent of eye injuries among children under 16 are sports-related, and 90 percent of those are preventable.

Each year, more than 275,000 children are treated in emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries. Thousands more get hurt using skates, skateboards and scooters. Most of these injuries can be prevented simply by wearing proper protective gear.  A safety-approved, well fitting helmet reduces the risk of serious head and brain injury by 85 to 88 percent.  (Visit http://www.stanthonysmedcenter.com/classes/Helmets.asp for information on free bike helmet fittings at St. Anthony's Medical Center.)

The basic treatment for many simple injuries is often “R.I.C.E.” – Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.  If a child develops a symptom that persists, see your family doctor.

While there is no such thing as an injury-free sport, a little common sense and some pre-sport preparation can keep your kids in the game all summer.

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Dr. Dana Galbraith, a family medicine specialist, is a member of St. Anthony’s Physician Organization.  She practices at St. Anthony’s Family Health Partners, at 59 Grasso Plaza in Affton.  Call 314-543-5258 for an appointment.  For a referral to any St. Anthony’s physician, call 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 1-800-554-9550.