Children are more likely to suffer sports-related injuries than adults. This is partly because their bodies are constantly growing and changing, so as soon as they’ve mastered one set of movements, their bodies alter and they have to adjust some more. Another reason is that kids are more likely to focus narrowly on certain aspects of a game (like getting to a ball) and miss the big picture (that another kid’s coming right at them).
You can’t protect kids completely from injuries – it’s a normal part of growing up and learning how your body works and how to protect it. That said, there are ways to prevent serious injuries and reduce incidents of not-so-serious ones.
Safety equipment
Many sports now have safety equipment to reduce injury. By making sure your child uses whatever gear is appropriate for her sport, you can reduce the likelihood and severity of injuries. Make sure the safety equipment fits correctly – if a hand-me-down doesn’t cut it, give it to someone else and find a replacement that does fit.
Coaches
You would think anyone who coaches kids would know how to train them in a way that prevent injuries, but this is just not true. Kids need coaches who teach them how to interact with other kids in ways that no one gets hurt. A good coach will have certain rules (such as, “When I blow the whistle, all of you stop what you’re doing”) and the kids will follow the coach’s instructions without protest. This ensures not only that kids will avoid getting hurt, but that any kids who aren’t good at or interested in following instructions will not have free reign and cause injuries to other kids.
The right crowd
Sometimes you have limited choices for the groups your kids can play with if they’ve chosen a particular sport. Make sure they’re not surrounded by kids of a very different size or skill level. The younger they are, the less difference it takes to cause a problem. If there’s no suitable place for your child to practice her chosen sport at this time, get her involved in another sport with the promise she can take up the preferred one when she’s older or more skilled.
Set up a doctor in advance
Go ahead and find a pediatric sports medicine doctor, or a sports medicine doctor, or a pediatrician who’s familiar with sports-related injuries now. You don’t want to wait until an injury has occurred to take your find a doctor.
