School's Out! 5 Tips for Getting Into the Swing of Summer Activities

Now that school is out, summer sports and recreational activities are going into full swing. Literally! And the season of summer and sports camps is here.

Participation in sports offers tremendous social, emotional and physical benefits for children. By following these simple steps, you can help to reduce preventable injuries so your kids can continue playing the games they love for years to come.

(Of course, all of these tips also apply to adults. )

With that in mind, here are some healthy tips from Dr. Michael Cocilovo of New City Chiropractic Center for keeping your kids ― and you — limber and ready to play.

1. Stress the Importance of a Good Stretch

We find that most injuries that occur in the start of a new season are due to muscle strains or ligament sprains. These are common because in the winter months we tend to be sedentary and not as active. To avoid these injuries, children and adults need to stretch before they play and cool down after. A fun way to get kids thinking about how to stretch is to ask them to do a slower version of the moves they will repeat during their activities. Slowly stretching and kicking the legs back and forth prior to soccer or light tossing a ball before little league games will serve this purpose. Also, make sure that your child cools down after their activity by lightly jogging to help keep muscles from feeling sore the next day.

2. Encourage Cross Training

Too many kids nowadays concentrate on only one sport which overworks specific sets of muscles while ignoring others. It is important for young athletes to change the sports or activities they are involved in so they are not continuously putting stress on the same muscles and joints. Try to encourage your child to participate in different activities so that the same muscles are not continuously overused.

3. Use Proper Equipment

One of the first steps for having a good sporting experience is to buy equipment for your child’ sport that is of good quality in terms of its strength but is also light in weight. For instance, make sure their sneakers are well fitted and that the soles are the proper type for the surface they will be playing on. Hard courts, grass fields and artificial turf all require specific shoes so check with a good shoe retailer for more information. In addition, helmets and mouth guards are important safety items that should be fitted for proper sizing and maximum protection.

4. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

The importance of drinking enough water cannot be overemphasized. Heat related illnesses are a real concern for athletes, especially during hot and humid weather. Parents should make sure their children have adequate amounts of water before, during and after play. They should also watch for any signs of a heat-related problems, including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion or fainting.

5. Eat Right and Rest

There is nothing that increases the risk of injuries more than not having the proper nutrition or being fatigued. Providing a healthy and well balanced diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean protein sources prior to the child’s activity will make sure that their body is equipped with the proper fuel to be an efficient machine. Finally, athletes of all ages need to rest between practices and games. A lack of adequate sleep predisposes muscles to fatigue and overuse injuries. Therefore, make sure that your athlete is getting to bed at a decent hour each night.