Keeping Young Athletes Safe

How to help your child prevent injuries or return to the game

Back on the field—When Emmaus High School senior Bridget DeSandis heard her knee “pop” during a lacrosse game, she thought, “This can’t be happening!” Just months before she was to join Columbia University’s field hockey team, one of her greatest fears had come true—a torn anterior cruciate ligament (a major connector in the knee). After surgery DeSandis began physical therapy with the outpatient rehabilitation specialists at Lehigh Valley Health Network. She continued her recovery with the professionals in the Healthy You Fitness Center, working up to endurance runs, agility drills and eventually Columbia’s training regimen. Her “best day ever” was when she got the OK to practice with her new team. A week later, she played in her first game. The 19-year-old says rehab was sometimes frustrating, but she trusted her specialists. “If you don’t do the exercises, you’re shooting yourself in the foot,” she says. “The simple things are what you need to focus on if you want to get better.”

Remember the old days, when you’d bump your head or twist your ankle while playing a sport and your coach would say, “Shake it off and get back in there”? Only in the last 10 years have sport-related injuries—especially injuries to the head—gotten the more cautious approach they deserve.

Lehigh Valley Health Network trauma surgeon Robert Barraco, M.D., has one message for
folks who cling to the “shake it off” mentality. “If you’re injured, report it,” he says. “It’s
better to miss one game than a season, or a life.”

The risks are real: More than 3.5 million American children and teens are treated annually for sport-related injuries. They’re more susceptible than adults because their bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments aren’t fully developed. (Injuries to growth plates, regions of cartilage where bone is still growing, can be particularly serious, Barraco says.)

But little athletes can be just as competitive as big ones. “Youngsters who are physically less mature than their peers may try to perform at levels they aren’t capable of,” says John Graham, director of Healthy You Fitness Centers. If you have a young athlete in your family, here are some strategies for you and your coaches:

Don’t overdo it—When a child focuses exclusively on one sport and practices the same movements year-round, it can cause a series of small injuries that lead to minor fractures, muscle tears and bone deformities. To help prevent overuse injury, encourage your child to play multiple sports. “Not only will he be more successful and desirable to college coaches, training for multiple sports gives his body a change, helping him train more safely,” Graham says. He encourages three-season athletes to train for the season they’re in, then practice whichever sport they like best during the summer.

You can help your child prevent injuries by having her wear protective gear that fits properly and is well-maintained. Stretching before a game or practice, staying hydrated, eating a well-balanced diet and getting enough rest also are important. And strength and conditioning exercises help keep youngsters injury-free.

Be prepared and proactive—Because no sport is guaranteed injury-free, it’s important to know how to respond. “Prompt treatment from a specialist can keep a minor injury from getting worse or causing permanent damage,” Barraco says. Whether or not your child’s injury requires surgery, make sure rehabilitation is part of her treatment, to get her back in the game as quickly and safely as possible.

Returning to action too soon can have serious consequences in the case of a concussion or head trauma. Physical and occupational therapists at Lehigh Valley Health Network use two tests to determine if a young athlete is well enough to return. “The IMPACT test uses a computer-based program to measure visual perception and coordination, short-term memory and processing speed,” says physical therapist Jennifer Roeder. “The Smart Equitest measures dynamic balance and stability by standing the patient on a platform and moving the floor and walls. The test can detect subtle balance problems that might result from head injury.” Therapists compare the results to the person’s baseline (pre-injury) score or to other people the same age, to help the doctor decide if the athlete can safely resume play.

Published from Healthy You Magazine, September October 2010

This page last updated 8/19/10 04:03 PM