Did You Know...
Training Tips
Parent Tips
Sports Medicine Tips

Did You Know.

¨      Sports participation has become a major cause of serious injury among youth.

¨      Sports activities are the second most frequent cause of injury for both male and female adolescents.

¨      Each year it is estimated that more than five million children seek treatment in hospital emergency rooms because of sports injuries.

¨      Most sports injuries are preventable.

¨      Proper training helps children play their best and helps keep them safe.

Training Tips 

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A key part of training for all sports is injury prevention. Below are some guidelines to keep your players healthy and safe.

¨      Playing outside regularly is usually all your child needs to get in shape for a sport, particularly at very young ages. Being in shape helps prevent injuries.

¨      As children get older they should know more about how to get in shape for their sport in general as well as their specific position (example: pitchers in baseball or softball). Talk to the coach or athletic trainer about developing and appropriate training program.

¨      Most injuries in baseball and softball involve the throwing arm and shoulder, but these injuries usually result through a gradual process. Players should not abuse the throwing arm by overusing it.

¨      Players should incorporate conditioning and stretching exercises for the shoulder into their overall program.

¨      It is to the player's advantage to warm up the throwing arm properly to minimize the risk of injuries.

¨      Begin the practice or game with at least 10 minutes of warm-up and stretching exercises

Parent Tips

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Remember above all else, it's only a game.

¨      If your child goes down, stay put on the sidelines- as hard as that can be- and let the coach or proper official at least take a look. If the coach or official thinks you should go on the field, go.

¨      If your child has to get off the field by him/herself or with the assistance from others- don't help, as hard as that might be.

¨      Most children will experience aches, pains, twists and bang-ups while on the playing field and will be able to continue to participate. Listen to your child's complaints of aches, pains, twists and bang-ups.

¨      Some pains, such as very sharp ones, suggest injuries, like a broken collarbone, broken foot or pulled muscle. This indicates that something could be wrong.

¨      When appropriate, consult with a sports medicine doctor, who specializes in the treatment of sports-related injuries.

Sports Medicine Tips

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¨      Ice: is an important part of any pain management plan. Many athletic trainers suggest placing a paper or styrofoam cup filled with water in the freezer. These cups become a great way to treat strains, sprains and inflammations. Tear away the upper half of the cup exposing the ice. Rub the ice over the injury site being careful not to use this method for over 20 minutes at a time.

¨      Most people realize the importance of stretching before exercise. However, stretching after exercising has two significant qualities. First, stretching after activity helps in the cool down phase by assisting with the removal of lactic acid from our muscles, which can lead to delayed muscle soreness. Second, with the core temperature of the body elevated and the muscles warm, we are able to gain more joint range of motion from our stretch.

¨      For bone bruises on the hand and fingers, rolling a wooden pencil over the bruise accelerates the healing process.

Sources:

Dr. Jordan D. Metzi, MD Sports Fever

National Youth Sports Foundation

Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society