There was a time when youth sports was one of the least controversial things to discuss. Parents and children accepted that sports were a rite of passage.
Now, as we learn more about the potential risks of youth sports and particular contact sports, some parents are rethinking these attitudes and wondering whether or not it’s worth taking a risk at all to let their kids participate.
We’re learning not only about the general risks that children’s sports can pose, but also that repeated injuries can cause long-term damage that’s very serious.
For example, research shows that head injuries that are considered relatively mild can change brain tissue over the course of a season, making even minor injuries much bigger problems in the long-run.
As a parent, there’s a balancing act. You want your kids to have life experiences, including team sports, but you want to protect them.
The best thing to do is be informed about the risks of youth sports and particularly contact sports, and make an educated decision if your child would like to participate.
The following are a few key things to know about youth sports and their general safety.
Acute vs. Overuse Injuries
There are two different main categories of sports injuries. One is the acute injury.
An acute injury usually stems from trauma, and these injuries can be severe.
One of the biggest reasons for acute injuries is because of not using the right equipment, but that’s not always true.
There are also overuse injuries.
Overuse injuries occur when a child is doing a repetitive action that puts stress on the muscles and bones. These injuries can impact bone growth in children.
Overuse injuries can include things like what’s called Little League elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, and shin splints.
Another potential third category of sports injuries is reinjury.
When a child or teen begins playing again or doing other activities before a previous injury has healed, they may be at risk for reinjury.
What are the Most Dangerous Sports for Kids?
Certain sports are more dangerous than others for kids, as has been briefly touched on. Along with specific team sports, there are also activities kids may participate in that are more likely to cause serious injuries. These include:
- Football: Football is one of the most popular sports in America, but it’s also one of the most dangerous for kids and adults alike. There are head injuries, but other common football injuries include the ankle and knee ligaments, as well as shoulder dislocations.
- Biking: While biking isn’t an organized team sport, it lands many kids in the hospital with injuries such as head injuries and fractures to the clavicle and wrist.
- Basketball: Basketball isn’t necessarily a contact sport, but it can still be dangerous. Basketball isn’t commonly associated with head injuries, but it is associated with sprains and fractures of the ankle and ACL tears.
- Baseball: Again, like basketball, baseball isn’t a contact sport, but that doesn’t eliminate the risk of injury. There are overuse injuries primarily.
- Soccer: For girls, soccer is the sport most associated with injuries. There can be sprained ankles, ALC injuries, and soft tissue injuries.
Common Causes of Injuries in Sports
There are a variety of reasons a child might experience sports injuries. For example, with children who are younger than eight, they have slower reaction times and less coordination, which can contribute to the likelihood of injuries.
There is also the fact that since kids can grow and change at such variable rates when they’re put together to play sports, there may be differences that make it more likely some children will get injured.
The bigger kids grow, the more likely injuries are to occur, especially in contact sports.
Can You Prevent Sports Injuries?
You can’t necessarily alleviate all risk of injury in youth sports, but you can reduce the risk significantly.
You can also teach your children the proper steps they need to take to keep themselves safe.
Some of the things to keep in mind to prevent sports injuries include:
- Use the right equipment: If there’s one takeaway every parent should keep in mind when it comes to sports safety, it’s the fact that proper equipment should always be used. All necessary equipment and protective gear should be worn every time a child is playing, and it should fit well and be the right size. If you’re unsure, speak to the coach of your child’s team. Some organizations oversee sports, and they also approve certain equipment, so check these requirements before purchasing anything. Along with initially purchasing the right equipment, take care of it so that it continues to work the way it’s supposed to.
- Check surfaces: When your kids are playing sports, whether on a team or otherwise, check the surfaces they’re going to be playing on. Kids shouldn’t be playing on concrete, and you should check for any holes or other areas that could make them more likely to fall.
- Speak to the coach: When your children play sports, you want to ensure that you trust the coach and that you agree with his or her philosophy. The number one objective should always be the well-being of everyone on the team. Sometimes you might spot a red flag if a coach seems obsessed with winning or as if winning is the only thing that matters.
- Emphasize the importance of warming up: Children should be prepared before they play sports, and that includes properly warming up. Warming up helps reduce the chance of injury, as does staying hydrated and taking rests throughout a game.
Despite the ongoing debate, there’s no right or wrong answer as to whether or not kids should play sports.
It’s up to individual parents and families to decide. What we do know is that it’s important to understand the risks and take any possible steps available to prevent them.
The more informed you are, the better the decisions you can make in terms of your kids and sports safety.