Did you know that sports injuries are some of the most common reasons for medical visits among children in middle school and high school?

The Centers for Disease Control estimate that nearly 3.2 million children each year are hospitalized from sports injuries annually. In addition, over 750,000 children between the ages of 12-17 are treated in an emergency room (ER) for sports and recreation-related injuries. So what should parents do to protect their children from experiencing a painful injury on the field?

What you shouldn’t do is discourage your child from participating in school sports and related recreational activities. School sports can be a great outlet for your child to improve physical activity, social interactions, and other emotional/physical benefits. However, it is important to understand the basic prevention and treatment guidelines for sports injuries.

Effective prevention can help student athletes avoid certain injuries and mitigate the severity of new injuries.

Preparation and sports physicals are the keys to lowering sports injuries

The best way to prevent sports injuries is to get an updated school or sports physical for your child.

A medical professional can evaluate if your child is healthy enough to play the sport, if they are injury prone, and when they can possibly begin participation in a given athletic activity. Most school sports and scholastic leagues also require a sports physical before a child is cleared to play.

A few other skills that will allow your child to prevent injuries both on and off the field include:

• Stretching before games can help your child prevent injuries such as sprains or muscle pulls.
• Participating in activities with a coach or trainer that help teach defensive skills, such as stopping or making contact appropriately.
• Evaluating your child’s sporting equipment, such as helmets and pads, to see if they fit properly. If they don’t fit properly speak with the equipment retailer or school to get equipment that fits.

Go to a walk-in clinic for most sport injury treatment

Whenever your child has a sports injury you should take them to one of two medical treatment options.

The emergency room is the first option, but is only necessary when your child experiences a critical and even potentially life-threatening injury during play. The second option is going to an walk-in clinic which most parents will want to do. Walk-in clinics are more affordable and convenient options for minor injuries.

Urgent care centers specialize in minor injury treatment including sprains,
muscle pulls, bruises, bone breaks, cuts, and lacerations. Thankfully, most sports injuries are minor and only require care at an urgent care center.