Sports related injuries can be prevented

Michael Emmons, MD

CHS Family HealthCare of Albany

Q. My son is an athlete for his high school and sometimes I worry about sports related injuries. Do I have a reason to worry?
A. The Consumer Product Safety Commission tells us that each year there are 3.5 million sports-related injuries in children under the age of 15. Parents shouldn’t worry, but should be aware that the bodies of their young children are still continuing to develop. A child’s bones grow much faster than their muscles and tendons; therefore, when they are at a young age the growth of muscles and the skeleton are not balanced.

Q. How can I prevent injuries from occurring in my children?
Warming up and stretching is key when it comes to injury prevention. Because the first six to eight seconds of stretching is muscle contractions, each stretch should be held between 30 to 40 seconds. At the beginning of the season it is important to ease into the activity. They need to make sure they focus on a conditioning type of atmosphere so that they get prepared to play the games. That includes stretching, strengthening and building endurance levels.

Also more importantly and probably more overlooked is recovery time. In young adults in particular, we see a lot of overuse type of injuries. The no pain no gain mentality is a fine line especially in younger adults, if they are having pain, they really shouldn’t be. There’s a difference between muscle pain after lifting weights for the first time in six months and join pain, often kids try to blow it off and play through pain they shouldn’t and they will end up doing more damage. It is important that kids listen to their bodies and talk to the trainers or physicians about any pain they experience.

Q. Is there any specific equipment I should purchase for my children?
A. Wearing a mouth guard for football and basketball is very important. We see more mouth and teeth injuries from basketball than we do in football. Another thing to remember is that mouth guards can decrease the significance of a concussion by holding your jaw tight so you are more prepared for a hit. Also not to be overlooked is the importance of helmets for bicyclist, skate boarders and rollerbladers.

Q. What happens if my child gets an injury?
A. In case of minor injuries that do not require immediate medical attention remember, RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevate and then evaluate. If your child does experience a minor injury, let them rest and have them take a couple days off and make sure a physician evaluates the injury or source of pain before resuming sporting activities.

Michael Emmons DO, is a physician with CHS Family HealthCare of Albany. For more information, call (765) 789-4545 or send an email to info@chsmail.org.

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