Kids: Sports Injuries

Before your children begin participating in sports, you should understand what risks are involved and how to manage those risks. Many sports-related injuries are preventable.

At first glance the statistics on sports-related injury might seem alarming. According to Health Canada's Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) more than 18% of children in our country under age 19 are treated in emergency rooms for sports-related injuries each year. However only about 40 to 50 percent of these injuries are sustained during organized supervised play and the overwhelming majority of sports injuries are minor. These include cuts sprains or pulled muscles injuries that often require no more treatment than a bandage or RICE (rest ice compression and elevation).

Before children begin participating in sports they and their parents should understand what risks are involved and how to manage those risks. Many sports-related injuries are preventable. By learning about the risks and then taking a few simple precautions to avoid them you can help ensure that sports participation is a safe and rewarding experience.

Young athletes are not small adults. Their bones muscles tendons and ligaments are still growing and that makes them more prone to injury. Growth plates·the areas of developing cartilage where bone growth occurs in growing children·are weaker than the nearby ligaments and tendons. As a result what is often a bruise or sprain in an adult can be a potentially serious growth-plate injury in a child. Also a trauma that would tear a muscle or ligament in an adult would be far more likely to break a child's bone.

Contact sports have inherent dangers that put young athletes at special risk for severe injuries. Even with rigorous training and proper safety equipment youngsters are still at risk for severe injuries to the neck spinal cord and growth plates. Preventing injuries in children is a team effort requiring the support of parents coaches and the kids themselves. Here's what each should do to help reduce injury risk.

Parents and coaches

Try to group youngsters according to skill level and size not by chronological age particularly during contact sports. If this is not practical modify the sport to accommodate the needs of children with varying skill levels.
Match the child to the sport and don't push the child too hard into an activity that she or he may not like or be physically capable of doing.
Try to find sports programs where certified athletic trainers are present. These people in addition to health care professionals are trained to prevent recognize and give immediate care to sports injuries.
See that all children get a pre-season physical exam.
Don't let (or insist that) a child play when injured. No child (or adult) should ever be allowed to work through the pain.
Get the child medical attention if needed. A child who develops any symptom that persists or that affects athletic performance should be examined by a health care professional. Other clues that a child needs to see a health professional include inability to play following a sudden injury visible abnormality of the arms and legs and severe pain that prevents the use of an arm or leg.
Provide a safe environment for sports. A poor playing field unsafe gym sets unsecured soccer goals etc. can cause serious injury to children.

Tips for Children

Be in proper condition to play the sport. Get a preseason physical exam.
Follow the rules of the game.
Wear appropriate protective gear.
Know how to use athletic equipment.
Avoid playing when very tired or in pain.

Make warm ups and cool downs part of your routine. Warm up exercises such as stretching or light jogging can help minimize the chances of muscle strain or other soft tissue injury. They also make the body's tissues warmer and more flexible. Cool down exercises loosen the muscles that have tightened during exercise.

If your child is injured while playing soccer or baseball or any other outdoor sport here are some "on-the-field" tips worth remembering:

Tips for Caregivers

Minor injuries are fairly common in young children; severe injuries are not.
A young child's self-esteem and enjoyment of a sport can be influenced by an adult's reaction when the child is injured.
Judging the intensity and finding the site of the pain in a preschool child may not be easy. The child's perception of severity influenced by his/her temperament and developmental level may not match reality. The child's response to an injury may also reflect his/her prior experiences or the experiences of a friend or family member who has had an injury.
Don't judge a child's reaction to an injury based on the child's age sex or size. Young children may vary greatly in their physical and mental development temperaments and reactions to and tolerance of pain and stress.
Acknowledge the child's feelings (pain fright and/or anxiety) provide emotional support and convey a sense of protection and caring.
Treat children with respect. Never ridicule or belittle them in front of their peers as this may be harmful to their developing self-esteem. Reassure the child that he/she will be cared for and the injury will be evaluated.
Inappropriate over concern can have negative effects and may lead to a more frightened child or eventually to a more vulnerable child. Parents may have difficulty remaining objective regarding their child's injury. On the other hand parental knowledge of their child's temperament and typical reaction to pain can be immensely helpful to others trying to evaluate the severity of the injury.
Question the child simply and directly. An authoritative approach gentle but firm will be reassuring for some youngsters.
Listen to the injured youngster and get his/her reaction to re-entering a sport or activity. Sometimes hidden fears will be expressed that can be addressed by a caregiver who listens. A child's mental health and development are as important as his/her physical health.
Time ice and a caring attitude will help to minimize many simple traumatic injuries.

Additional Resources:

NIAMS

Safe Kids Canada

Canadian Diagnostics Centre