How To Avoid Sports-Related Injuries

Participating in any kind of physical activity, whether it’s as light as casual jogging or as intense as gymnastics for kids, can significantly improve a child’s physical and mental capabilities. Despite all of its amazing benefits, sports also carry the potential risk of injury.

By being more informed about the causes of these injuries and knowing how to prevent them, these risks can be significantly diminished.

In any kind of sport, young children are particularly at risk for sports injuries due to a wide variety of reasons. Kids, especially those who are eight years old or younger, have a poor coordination and slower reaction times compared to adults, mainly because their bodies are still at the stage of growth and development. In addition to that, their bodies are developing at a different pace, causing a distinction in their height and weight despite being of the same age. And when the kids of varying sizes participate in the sport together, the likelihood of injury is considerably increased.

As children grow bigger and stronger, the possibility and the intensity of the injury intensify as well, mainly due to the amount of force involved. As an example, a collision between two seven-year-old football player weighing 50 pounds each can not cause as much injury as what can be produced from a collision between two 14-year-old teenagers weighing up to 150 lbs each.

So, the question is: how can we prevent our children from suffering from such injuries? With a combination of proper knowledge, awareness, and preventative measures, the likelihood of these injuries can be greatly reduced.

Wear Proper Protective Equipment

The type of protective equipment your child should use varies depending on what kind of sport he is partaking in. For example, if your child is into bicycle riding, you should advise them to wear the appropriate helmet, knee guards and elbow pads. You won’t know when accidents could happen, so it is better to be always prepared just in case.

Also, you should let your child use the protective equipment specifically designed for their sport. You won’t let your child play baseball while wearing a biker’s helmet, will you?

You should also ensure that the equipment your child is using is of the acceptable quality and is approved by the assigned organization. For example, when choosing a bicycle helmet, you should look for a safety certification sticker from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Maintenance and Safety of Their Sports Facilities

Sometimes, no matter how careful and attentive a child is, if their sports facility is not considered safe, sports injury can still occur. It is important to ensure that the safety of your child’s training facilities is regularly and thoroughly checked. For example, in a high-intensity sport such as gymnastics, it is very critical to inspect the apparatus if they’re still safe to use as they may cause severe injuries if left unchecked.

Make Sure They Are Supervised by a Qualified Coach

As a kid, the supervision and guidance of a qualified adult are very important to avoid injuries and stay safe. Make sure that your child is being properly supervised by a training coach at all times to reduce the likelihood of unwanted injuries. Also, make sure that your child’s coach is trained and is experienced in safety and first aid so that in case of an accident he’ll know exactly what to do.

Proper Preparation

Just as you wouldn’t send an untrained soldier who can’t fight in the battlefield, it is important not to let your kids participate in a sport he/she is unprepared to partake in. Before encouraging your child to join a sport, make sure that he/she is physically and mentally capable of participating in that kind of sport.

Allow your kids to be adequately prepared by performing warm-up and stretching exercises before the actual sport training. Also, you should provide them with the proper nutrition and enough hydration so they would be fully prepared to give their best in the sport of their choice :)

Learn more about health and fitness by reading the articles posted on our educational blogs. Engage in a quality gymnastics training program, enroll today at Bianka Panova Sport and Art Academy and let us provide you with the highest level of satisfaction!