Derek L. Hill, D.O.

Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Surgeon and Specialist

Preventing Sports Injuries

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Preventing Sports InjuriesPreventing sports injuries with your kids can seem impossible to do.  With the changing of sports seasons it is important to note the specific challenges that these athletes undergo as they progress through their seasons. Unlike the sports of spring athletes often start practicing in the warm summer temperatures and end up competing in the cold winter.  Likewise, spring athletes often start practicing outside in frigid end-of-winter temperatures and end up competing in the humid heat of spring.

We know that all sports have a risk of injury, but there are still precautions and measures that can be taken to avoid those injuries. Contact sports might be responsible for more intense and serious injury, but other sports injuries are surprisingly responsible from constant daily wear and tear.  Here are some tips for your kids these season, or yourself!

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Preventing Broken Bones in Kids

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Group Of Children Playing In ParkAs part of childhood, falls are very common. Falls can result in fractures or broken bones, however, there are things you can do to prevent these types of injuries happening to your children. Keeping your child safe from everything is impossible, but there are some ways to minimize your child’s likelihood of breaking a bone. Here you will find three tips for helping and protecting your child from getting a fracture or broken bone:

Safety Precautions

First rule of thumb is to take safety precautions! There are many simple steps parents can take in order to prevent injuries such as:

  • Keep walkways and stairs free of objects your child could trip over
  • Have your child wear proper safety equipment (i.e. a helmet and safety gear) when participating in sports
  • Child proof your home and use car seats and seat belts for children at every age and stage

Keeping Active

It’s important to keep your child active and get them involved in regular physical activities and exercise. Weight-bearing exercises such as jumping rope, jogging, and walking can also help develop and maintain strong bones. Staying in good physical shape with exercise also increases muscle strength and reflex speed to prevent falls.

Diet

Another way to prevent injuries is to make sure your child is getting the proper nutrients to build strong bones! “According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, primary care providers should evaluate the amount of calcium children consume and encourage them to exercise to prevent broken bones later in life. Children 4 to 8 years old should be getting 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. Make sure your child is drinking low-fat milk and eating other dairy products such as yogurt to increase his or her calcium intake.” (Kids Health Line) Getting enough calcium earlier on in life can decrease the risk of developing osteoporosis, which is a condition that causes the bones to be more fragile and likely to break later in life. Also, a diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables can help keep your child’s bones healthy and strong.

Overall, fractures and broken bones are a common part of childhood. If your child does get a broken bone remember not to stress as many children experience that at one time or another.

References:
1. “Broken Bones.” KidsHealth.org. http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/b_bone.html
2. “Preventing Broken Bones.” University of Rochester Medical Center. http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=157
3. “Preventing Broken Bones.” Kids Health Line. http://kidshealthline.com/2011/07/20/preventing-broken-bones/
4.“Broken bone: Types of fractures, symptoms and prevention” WebMD.com. http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-guides/bone-fractures-types-symptoms-prevention?page=2

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