The start of a new school year also marks the start of fall sports, and with them comes sports-related injuries. Nearly a third of all childhood injuries occur while playing sports, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of them are preventable.
Sports have changed dramatically over the past two generations. Not so long ago, youth sports were much less intensive and competitive. Today, a child can play several games on weekends and practice every day of the week. In fact, the majority of sports-related injuries occur during practice.
“Injuries are common in children because they have what are called growth plates, which are new areas of bone growth that are very sensitive to stress,” said Matthew A. Varacallo, MD, medical director of the orthopedic robotic surgery at Penn Highlands Healthcare. are made of rubbery cartilage, and they are weaker than solid bone and more prone to injury. They don’t fully harden until the end of puberty, usually around age 13-15 for girls and 15-17 for boys.
Since most children are still growing during their years in organized sports, injuries are sometimes unavoidable. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t preventable.
“The first thing every parent should do is schedule a physical before practices begin,” Dr. Varacallo said. “During a medical exam, your child’s provider will identify factors that could increase their risk of injury and create an action plan to address those concerns.”
Parents should also discuss with coaches what protective equipment will be provided and what athletes should bring for themselves. Also, ask the coaches about the condition of the pitches and courts. Find out when they were last inspected. Surfaces that have not been maintained are conducive to injury.
Also talk to your children.
“I saw many injuries that could have been avoided or lessened if the child had spoken sooner,” Dr. Varacallo said.
Remind your student-athlete that anyone can get injured and if they are in pain, the best thing they can do to stay in the game is to speak up and get checked out as soon as possible.
Communication is especially important when it comes to concussions. Although concussions are often associated with football, they are possible in any sport. A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that women’s soccer had almost the same concussion incidence rate as men’s soccer.
Common symptoms of concussions in children include dizziness, headache, trouble thinking or remembering things, fatigue, and irritability.
It is much easier for parents and coaches to assess possible symptoms of a concussion when they can have an open and honest conversation with the athlete. And it’s true to prevent all types of injuries during the season.
Penn Highlands Healthcare offers comprehensive orthopedic and athletic care for everyone from Little League players to college athletes and weekend warriors. Specialists at Penn Highlands are focused on providing treatments to get patients back into the game as quickly and safely as possible. For more information, visit www.phhealthcare.org/sportsmedicine.
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