Helpful Tips to Prevent Youth Sports Injuries

Pediatricians and nutritionists have been advising parents for years to make sure that their children get frequent exercise. Keeping children active is one of the best ways to keep them mentally sharp and physically fit, the experts say. While it may be good to get children involved in sports, it's also very important to make sure that they're safe while playing. In this article, I'll explain why proper hydration, stretching, and parental supervision can go a long way toward preventing youth sports injuries.

Water
Water is crucial for human life. Our bodies are made mostly of water. So, it's no wonder that staying properly hydrated is key to staying healthy as well as to preventing injuries during physical activity. Before your children go out to play, no matter what the weather, make sure that they have at least one large (for their size) cup of water to drink. Whether it's hot or cold, water is constantly being lost from the body through breathing and perspiration. Especially on a hot day or during physical activity, more water than usual is lost. It's a good idea to make sure that your children are drinking water throughout the day, no matter what they're doing. Sports drinks, juices, sodas and other drinks are not very good substitutes, as they contain unnecessary amounts of sugar and other components. Dairy has been known to cause cramps for some athletes, so it's best to avoid it until children have cooled down after physical activities.

Warming Up
It's debatable whether stretching does much to prevent sports injuries. While some athletes and scientists claim it helps sports performance, others find it has no effect and that it may even weaken muscles. Warming up, on the other hand, has been generally found to be beneficial. Getting muscles warm before exercise is believed to get them ready to work. Before your children begin their games, have them warm up by practicing the ranges of motion they'll use during the game. This both prepares the muscles and acclimates them to the needed ranges of motion.

Supervision
Finally, adults play a large role in preventing injury in young athletes. Watch the game, making sure that everyone is safe. If you notice that someone isn't following the rules or is doing something that's potentially dangerous, call a timeout and address the situation. It's better to appear to be a spoilsport than to allow a child to get hurt.

Share these tips with your young athletes, and help them understand the importance of properly preparing for sports. Injury prevention knowledge can make all the difference in whether or not they enjoy exercise.