Sports Injuries: 10 Ways to Reduce Children's Risks

Injury in sports always happens when you least expect them to. According to healthychildren.org, more kids are joining sports competition than ever. Other than keeping their bodies healthy and fit, playing sports make a person feel good about themselves. 

Parents want their children to engage in sports; they are also afraid of the risks of injuries. Here are some ways to reduce the risk of getting your child hurt from playing their favorite sport. 

Wear the right gear

Appropriate gear for sports could help reduce the risk of injury not only in children but also in adults. Provide them with pads, helmets, face guards, eyewear, mouthpieces, and protective cups when they play sports. It could help avoid any preventable injuries, especially when there are dangerous activities. 

Take some time off

Each week, you should make sure that your children take some time off their busy training schedule. At least once a week is enough so their bodies could recover from the strenuous activities they do. 

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Reinforce proper technique

Sports have certain techniques that could lessen the chances of causing their players to get hurt. Reinforce proper techniques so your sporty kiddos could avoid getting injured. 

Condition muscles

Remind your kids to strengthen their muscles before they start each game. 

(Photo: Unsplash/yang miao)

Increase flexibility

After each game, tell your children to do stretching exercises so that their bodies could become more flexible. You could also have them stretch daily to help their bodies become more resilient to injuries. 

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Play safe

Make sure that your kids know and strictly follow the rules during games.

Take breaks

To prevent heat illnesses, a player should take breaks in between practices and games. It is also a great way to reduce the risk of injuries. 

Avoid heat illness

Before and after playing, remind your kids to drink plenty of fluids. Avoid playing during high heat or humid weather conditions. Wearing a light-colored outfit could help prevent heatstroke. 

Stop when in pain

Your children should know when to stop if they feel any pain. Playing through the pain could aggravate the injury. 

Adult supervision

Young children jumping on the trampoline need an adult to make sure they are safely playing. Make sure that only one player at a time is using the tool. The American Academy of Pediatrics stated that 75 percent of trampoline injuries were caused by having more than one player in a tool. 

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Children get emotional stress due to the pressure of winning games. While coaches and parents want the kids to win every single time, they should also take note of the different qualities that each player earns during a game. 

Instead, they should consider the hard work, effort, and sportsmanship that the young athletes have learned while playing sports. It is one way to have fun while encouraging young ones to pursue their dreams.