6 Helpful Tips to Keep Your Sporty Kids stay Healthy and Injury-Free This Fall

If you are looking for a sure sign that fall is just around the corner, look no further than our local high school practice fields. There you will find football teams running drills, soccer players practicing their penalty kicks and bands rehearsing their precise marching formations.

And chances are that before these kids even hit their first competition, some of them will be sidelined by injuries.

Tips to help your kids stay healthy and injury-free

If you have a teenager who will be participating in school sports this fall, here are ways to help them stay healthy and injury-free:

1. Ensure they heed all the instructions of their coaches and athletic trainers. This includes careful warm-up exercises to stretch muscles safely before engaging in strenuous activity.
2. Make sure they stay well hydrated, especially since their “fall” sports begin during the dog days of August. Remind them that if they wait to hydrate until they feel thirsty, it’s already too late.
3. The National University of Health Sciences says athletes engaged in strength training such as lifting weights should increase the amount of weight they lift by no more than a factor of 10 percent every two weeks.
4. Insist they rest and heal by taking one to two days off per week.
5. Recognize that some pain from sore muscles is to be expected from the build-up of lactic acid. But pain that increases after two or three days is a sign that your body is telling you to take it back a notch or two.
6. Cheerleaders should ALWAYS use spotters and not be afraid to back off a trick if they feel that they cannot complete it safety. Band members carrying heavy instruments should practice good posture, both for the quality of their music and the health of their backs.

Despite these precautions and the best of intentions, injury may still happen, however. If your child suffers from pain that does not resolve itself after a few days of rest, ice and ibuprofen, reach out to our team of pain management experts to set up an appointment. We consider it a privilege to serve you and your family to restore health back to 100%.