Kids love to play and be wild, there’s just no way around it. And most kids, at one point or another are going to try their hand at a sport. Sports are great for kids. They build team work and a healthy, competitive spirit, not to mention providing good exercise.
But along with all of their many benefits, sports will inevitably bring some amount of injury into a little one’s life. Your best weapon as a parent is to stay calm and to be prepared for the worst, yet hope for the best. It is also good to learn how to help your child avoid these pitfalls and setbacks.
First, let’s look at a few of the most common injuries that you’ll see on the field. More times than not your little guy or gal will have the twisted or sprained ankle, pulled muscle or your basic skinned knee or elbow. Of course, major breaks and fractures do happen, but with the little ones your problems are typically pretty basic.
Prevention is key.
Many parents will let their children head out to the game with “cold” muscles. This is a recipe for disaster as the bulk of pulled muscles and sprains can be reduced drastically by a good stretching regimen.
You may think, “My kids just a little guy, do they really need to stretch?” The answer is an emphatic “Yes!” Taking the time to teach even the smallest athlete a good stretching and warm up regimen can not only save you time in the ER and holding crying kids, but also give you one more great chance to bond with them as they learn to care for themselves.
Stretching is essential for preparing muscles, tendons and ligaments to be used in more extreme ways. It is also crucial for the child to be doing various exercises that will strengthen the muscles being used in their selected sports. The stronger the muscle, the less likely it is to be injured during a game.
So what do we do if the injuries happen? And they are bound to happen.
Keep things lighthearted, as the child will already feel disappointment. Use ice to slow swelling and deal with pain. Be near them and with them in it. Rest and fluids are key to recovery, and if they do rest and keep off of their injury, they’re little bodies are sure to bounce back stronger than before.
Author Bio
Melisa Cammack has been freelance writing for over 10 years, and is currently working on getting her children’s book series published. She’s a very busy mother of three even busier boys, living on the coast of Maine with her husband and a handful of farm animals.
Melisa recently traveled to Florida to stay with her mother while she attended a seminar for her back pain management in Orlando and the knee pain treatment Orlando offers.
