Kids get hurt all the time. They fall down on the playground, get punched while roughhousing and may even pull things down upon themselves. Kids and teens also frequently sustain injuries while playing sports, whether from an accident in P.E. class or through contact with objects or other players during team play outside of school hours.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the causes of Brampton sports injuries in children and how to prevent them from happening.
Causes of sports injuries in children
A sport is a sport, whether it’s bicycling, running or playing football, baseball or hockey. All types of sports do a great job of teaching kids things like discipline, teamwork and leadership, but while you want to encourage them to try new physical activities, you must also prepare them for sports-related injuries.
So, what puts kids at a higher risk for sports injuries? Age, for one thing. Kids younger than eight years old lack coordination and, compared to adults, kids’ reaction times are slower because they are still growing, and their bodies and minds are still developing. The difference in height and weight of children of the same age playing sports together can also increase the risk of injury.
How can you protect your kids from being injured during sports and other physical activities? Here are some good suggestions:
- Get them the proper safety gear: No matter the sport your child plays, it’s important that they use proper equipment and wear safety gear, including helmets, shin guards, pads, mouth guards, shoes, athletic cups and protective eyewear, depending on their sport of choice. All the equipment they use needs to be the correct size, and clothing and safety gear must fit well, meaning you may have to buy new equipment and gear as they grow.
- Know how the game is played: It’s especially important that kids learning to play a new sport know how the game is supposed to be played. You might want to take them to watch other kids play the same sport or have them check out some videos of game play. Next, go over the rules of the game as best you can. Their coach should teach these things, but it’s not a bad plan to provide some additional education.
- Make sure they know how to play and warm up: Make sure you do not drop off your kids to play a sport they are not familiar with. If they are unprepared to play—if they don’t know what they are doing or show up without the proper equipment—they could end up injured. Kids should also do warm-up exercises before practices and games. Stretches are great for loosening up muscles and getting the blood flowing, reducing the chances of an injury.
- Check the condition of playing surfaces: You don’t have to be completely involved in your child’s sports activities to check the condition of playing surfaces. Inspect for holes, uneven ground, tree roots and anything else that kids could trip on while running.
It’s not unusual for Brampton sports injuries to require physiotherapy treatment or supervised rehabilitation programs. If you’re in need of this specific type of care, call the team at Paramount Physiotherapy & Sports Injuries Clinic to meet with a registered physiotherapist.