Sports Injury Prevention: Top 3 Youth Sports Safety Tips

April is Youth Sports Safety Month and there are fewer things more important to sports families than keeping their athletes safe. It’s a great opportunity to reinforce important guidelines you already know and learn tips on how to make youth sports even safer. Youth sports offer so many benefits to children, like physical activity and teaching teamwork, but it’s almost impossible to avoid injuries in sports altogether. Knowing what to do when they happen and how to help prevent them can make all the difference.

Recognize the Signs

Some injuries, like a broken arm, are easy to detect but others, including much more serious injuries, have more subtle signs. Sudden cardiac arrest is not only the leading cause of death of American adults but also the number one cause of death in student athletes. It’s a scary statistic but knowing the warning signs and what to do if you see them can save lives. Fainting, seizures, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and extreme fatigue, especially during exercise or while playing sports, can all be indications. Concussions are also a risk of playing both contact and non-contact sports. They often occur after a hit to the head or sudden change in direction. Headache, difficulty focusing, sensitivity to light, nausea, and difficulty balancing are all signs of a concussion. The most important factor to consider with concussions is that the child should not play again until they have been cleared by a medical professional (sometimes a number of days later) as the health risks from a second concussion are high.

Practice Prevention

Correctly sized sports equipment and making sure athletes know how to properly use it can be important in preventing injury. As with any physical activity, it’s also important to stay hydrated and avoid playing with pain. Ensure that your child and his or her teammates all understand and abide by the rules of the game that have been put in place to protect them. Getting your athlete’s heart screened before he or she starts playing any sports can be a good way to detect any serious existing problems. Visit screenacrossamerica.org to find a location and learn more about what happens during a screening. A physical is important before your child begins participating in a new sport. Make sure to also keep up regular doctor visits and talk to your doctor about what sports your child is involved in and he or she can recommend best practices and educate you about the risks.

Learn How to React

Make sure you, your child’s team, and/or your coach travels with essential first aid materials in case of emergencies and that the entire team knows where to locate them. In case the worst happens, reacting quickly and knowing what to do can save lives. Take a CPR class with your family so if you notice any of the warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest, you can take action. Knowing where a facility’s AED (automated external defibrillator) is and how to use it can make all the difference, too.

Sources:

• “New Heart Safety Resources.” New Heart Safety Resources | Youth Sports Safety Alliance, 2018, https://www.youthsportssafetyalliance.org/.
• Witstein, MD, FAAOS, Jocelyn Ross. “A Guide to Safety for Young Athletes - Orthoinfo - Aaos.” OrthoInfo, June 2022, https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/a-guide-to-safety-for-young-athletes/.