Prevent Kid's Sports Pain and Injury with These Tips

About half of all sports pain and sports related injuries experienced by kids is due to the overuse and/or repetitive stress placed on the still maturing bodies by overtraining. One of the best ways to help prevent kid's sports pain and injuries is to give their body periods of rest during training season and a complete rest during the off season.

Make Kids Rest One Day Per Week

To prevent sports pain and injury, kids need at least one day per week that is a sports free day. Your child may protest, his or her coach may protest, some parents may even find one sports free day per week for their child objectionable, but a kid's muscles need time to rest and recover. Kids who have this time for muscle rest and recovery actually do better in their chosen sport than those who push themselves (or are pushed) to practice their sport non-stop.

Sports-Minded Kids Need an Off Season

Schedule two to three months of off season rest time for sports-minded kids to allow them to physically and mentally rest and re-charge. If the child protests, remind them that professional athletes have yearly off seasons for the very same reasons of rest and recovery. Concerned your kid may become a couch potato and get out of shape? Off season rest does not mean kids have to sit a play video games or watch TV all day, off season is a time for kids to pursue other activities that are not directly related to their sport of choice but can enhance their game by building endurance and muscle groups.

Mix Up the Off Season Activities

Kids can mix up their sporting endeavors during their off season months and it will help them be better at their sport of choice. Endurance for playing soccer or football can be gained by swimming, bicycling can build leg muscles, all of which will help prevent sports pain and injuries when sports season rolls back around. Kids under the age of 12 should never limit themselves to just one sport and try to specialize in it. Their bodies are still developing and by mixing up sporting activities it will allow for more well rounded physical development. Exposing kids to a variety of sports will also help them develop mentally and emotionally.

Prevent kid's sports pain and injury by requiring them to rest one day per week from their sport of choice. Require them to have an off season during which they engage in other physical activities that will develop overall muscular strength and endurance.