Game On: Tips for Preventing Youth Sport Injuries
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Game On: Tips for Preventing Youth Sport Injuries

According to the National Council of Youth Sports, roughly 60 million children are registered to play youth sports in the U.S. Of them, an estimated  3.5 million, aged 14 and younger, get hurt annually participating sports and more than 775,000 go to the emergency rooms due to those injuries.

But before you reconsider signing your child up for whatever sport season is next, consider this:

50% of youth sports injuries are preventable.

Injury Insight

62% of organized sports-related injuries occur during practice rather than games.

 

 To keep your athlete safe, follow these injury prevention tips:

  1. Get Regular Health Check-ups
    Regular check-ups—especially pre-season—are essential to monitoring overall health and spotting and address any potential concerns that might contribute to an injury.

  2. Use Appropriate Equipment
    Properly fitted, sport-specific protective gear such as helmets, pads, and shoes are must-haves for every athlete. Don’t use equipment it if it has missing or broken buckles or compressed or worn padding as it likely won’t fit well and  may not offer proper protection.

  3. Warm-up Before Playing
    Stretching before exercise has proven to be even more important for preventing injury. Stretching helps loosen muscles and readies them for play. Athletes should stretch each of the major lower body muscle groups before and after sporting activity. Click here for a series of stretches from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

  4. Practice Proper Training and Technique
    Using proper form and technique can significantly reduce the risk of both acute and overuse injuries for every sport. Make sure your child has qualified and age-appropriate instruction no matter their sport.

  5. Stress the Importance of Hydration and Nutrition
    Keeping a body properly hydrated and well-fueled through diet and nutrition is essential to both performance and recovery. Encourage athletes to drink water throughout the day, not just at games or practice. For intense workouts or games, provide electrolyte-rich drinks.

Discourage eating sugary snacks, fast food, and sugary beverages that can lead to energy crashes.  Strive for a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates. For ideas on what to eat on competition days, click here

  1. Emphasize Rest and Recovery
    As passionate as your young athlete might be about their chosen sport, it’s important to encourage adequate rest between practices and games.

  2. Play the Field

Many kids like to play sports year-round, which makes overuse a common cause of injury. Doing the same motions year-round puts wear and tear on developing muscles, tendons, and bones. Playing a variety of sports works to develop different fundamental skills. In fact, studies of college-level and Olympic athletes found that the majority of them played multiple sports growing up and did not specialize early.

 

Youth Sports and Consequences

According to the National Health Statistics Reports, these are the activities responsible for the most emergency room visits for sports injuries among patients aged 5-29.

AGES 5-9

Playground                              23.1%

Cycling                                    13.8%

Gymnastics/Cheerleading        9.3%

Running or Jogging                  8.4%

AGES 10-14

Football            19.9%

Basketball        13.0%

Cycling             10.1%

Soccer              7.4%

AGES 15-19

Basketball        16.6%

Football           16.2%

Soccer              9.3%

Cycling             7.3%

 

Even with best practices and an abundance of caution, injuries can still happen. If your child is experiencing consistent pain during or after sports or swelling around a joint that doesn’t respond to rest or ice, reach out to their doctor for an appointment. Playing through with an injury can lead to more damage and longer recovery time. 


Jennifer LaChance, PA-C, is an orthopedic associate at SVMC Orthopedics in Bennington, VT and Northern Berkshire Orthopedics in Williamstown, MA.

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Ways to Help

At this difficult time, leaders and staff at Southwestern Vermont Health Care appreciate support from our communities. There are three major ways for members of the community to help front-line staff in their efforts to save lives.


Donate Funds
If you are able, donating money to the Southwestern Vermont Health Care Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund is the most beneficial way to ensure staff have the vital equipment they need. The COVID-19 Relief Fund will be used to create additional negative pressure rooms; purchase life-saving supplies, such as ventilators, respirators, additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); implement a surge plan to expand patient care areas, including an off-site Respiratory Evaluation Center (REC); support of employees in distress; meet the need for assistance among patients and our communities. And now the CARES Act makes donating to non-profits more beneficial financially. Donations may be made online at svhealthcare.org/give-now.


Send Food to Staff
SVMC deployed an online tool to facilitate community members sending meals to front-line staff during the COVID-19 crisis. Community members can visit mealtrain.com/trains/v1w8yz and volunteer to purchase a meal for as few as two staff members or as many as 25. All recommended restaurants will make no-contact deliveries to SVMC in Bennington, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation in Bennington, and the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Hoosick Falls, NY.

 

Donate Personal Protective Equipment
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is requesting the community to assist with donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The hospital currently needs the following PPE: N95 Masks, typically found in industrial businesses and home workshops; Nitrile gloves in all sizes; home-sewn cotton masks; and home-sewn cloth surgical caps, known also as scrub caps and skull caps. PPE donations are accepted through Catherine Hagadorn, program coordinator for the Quality, Safety, and Value Department, by e-mailing Catherine.Hagadorn@svhealthcare.org or calling 802-447-5600.

 

SVHC's medical team and essential staff are extremely grateful to the community for every contribution. Thank you! 

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