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Treating and PreventingSports InjuriesA Guide for Parents and Coaches

Table of ContentsChildhood Sports Injuries:A Common and Serious Problem.......................................................................... 3The Most Common Sports-Related Injuries in Kids............................................4-5Preventing and Treating Injuries........................................................................6-7Keep Kids Exercising............................................................................................ 8Sport-Specific Safety Information...................................................................9-10Treat Injuries with “RICE”................................................................................... 11Play It Safe in the Heat...................................................................................... 12Safety Tips for All Sports.................................................................................... 13For More Information......................................................................................... 14Other Useful Links.........................................................................................14-15Information in this guide provided by National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.

Mrs. Johnson was sitting in her office when the phonerang: “Mrs. Johnson? Your son Jason was injured duringfootball practice. His knee may be badly hurt, andhe is going to County General. Please go to theemergency room right away.”She tried to remain composed, but couldfeel panic creeping through her body.With her breathing shallow and heartpounding, she dropped everythingand tried to remember how to get tothe hospital.In the past, Jason had onlyexperienced scrapes and bruises,like most kids his age. Mrs. Johnsonwas hesitant to let him play a roughsport like football that requires considerablephysical contact. But she chose not to keephim from playing his favorite sport. Now shewas facing her child’s first major injury.Like Jason, more than 30 million childrenparticipate in organized sports in the UnitedStates. Still more participate in informalrecreational activities. While sports participationprovides numerous physical and social benefits,it also has a downside – the risk of sports-relatedinjuries. In fact, according to a 2002 report bythe Centers for Disease Control, nearly 1.9 millionchildren under 15 were treated in emergencydepartments the year before for sports-related injuries.Childhood sports injuriesa common and serious problemThese injuries are by far the most common cause ofmusculoskeletal injuries in children treated in emergencydepartments. They are also the single most common cause ofinjury-related primary care office visits.3

Sports-Related InjuriesThe Most Common ones in KidsWhile sportsinjuries canrange fromscrapes andbruises toserious brainand spinal cordinjuries, mostfall somewherebetween thetwo extremes.Here are someof the morecommon typesof injuries.4Sprains andStrainsA sprainis an injuryto a ligament,one of the bandsof tough, fibrous tissue thatconnects two or more bonesat a joint and preventsexcessive movementof the joint. Anklesprains are the mostcommon injury in theU.S. and often occur duringsports or recreational activities.A strain is an injuryto either a muscle or atendon. A muscle is atissue composed of bundlesof specialized cells that, whenstimulated by nerve messages, contractand produce movement.A tendon is a tough, fibrous cord of tissuethat connects muscle to bone. Muscles inany part of the body can be injured.Growth Plate InjuriesIn some sports accidents and injuries, the growth platemay be injured. The growth plate is the area of developingtissues at the end of the long bones in growing children andadolescents. When growth is complete, sometime duringadolescence, the growth plate is replaced by solid bone. Thelong bones in the body include the following:• Long bones of the hand and fingers(metacarpals and phalanges)• Both bones of the forearm (radius and ulna)• Bone of the upper leg (femur)• Lower leg bones (tibia and fibula)• Foot bones (metatarsals and phalanges).If any of these areas become injured, it’s important to seekprofessional help from an orthopaedic surgeon, which is adoctor who specializes in bone injuries.

Sports-Related InjuriesThe Most Common ones in KidsRepetitive Motion InjuriesPainful injuries such as stress fractures (a hairline fractureof the bone that has been subjected to repeated stress) andtendonitis (inflammation of a tendon) can occur fromoveruse of muscles and tendons. Some of these injuriesdon’t always show up on x-rays, but they do cause pain anddiscomfort. The injured area usually responds to rest, ice,compression, and elevation (RICE). Other treatments caninclude crutches, cast immobilization and physical therapy.Heat-Related IllnessesHeat-related illnesses include dehydration (deficit in bodyfluids), heat exhaustion (nausea, dizziness, weakness,headache, pale and moist skin, heavy perspiration,normal or low body temperature, weak pulse, dilatedpupils, disorientation, and fainting spells), and heatstroke (headache, dizziness, confusion, and hot dry skin –possibly leading to vascular collapse, coma and death).Heat injuries are always dangerous and can be fatal. Heatrelatedinjuries are a particular problem for children becausechildren perspire less than adults and require a higher corebody temperature to trigger sweating. Playing rigoroussports in the heat requires close monitoring of both bodyand weather conditions. Fortunately, heat-related illnessescan be prevented.5RICE• Rest• Ice• Compression• ElevationHeat injuries are alwaysdangerous and can befatal. Heat-related injuriesare a particular problemfor children becausechildren perspire less thanadults and require a highercore body temperature totrigger sweating.

preventing and treating Injuries6Childhoodsports injurieslike Jason’smay beinevitable,but there aresome thingsyou can do tohelp minimizethe risk. Wheninjuries dooccur, thereare oftenthings you cando on your ownto treat them.Prevention• Enroll your child in organized sports through schools,community clubs and recreation areas that are properlymaintained. Any organized team activity shoulddemonstrate a commitment to injury prevention. Coachesshould be trained in first aid and CPR and should have aplan for responding to emergencies. Coaches should bewell-versed in the proper use of equipment and shouldenforce rules on equipment use.• Organized sports programs may have adults on staff whoare Certified Athletic Trainers. These individuals are trainedto prevent, recognize and provide immediate care forathletic injuries.• Make sure your child has – and consistently uses – propergear for a particular sport. This may reduce the chances ofbeing injured.• Make warm-ups and cool-downs part of your child’sroutine before and after sports participation. Warm-upexercises, such as stretching and light jogging, can helpminimize the chance of muscle strain or other soft tissueinjury during sports. Warm-up exercises make the body’stissues warmer and more flexible. Cool-down exercisesloosen muscles that have tightened during exercise.• Make sure your child has access to water or a sports drinkwhile playing. Encourage him or her to drink frequentlyand stay properly hydrated. Remember to includesunscreen and a hat (when possible) to reduce the chanceof sunburn, which is a type of injury to the skin. Sunprotection may also decrease the chances of malignantmelanoma, a potentially deadly skin cancer, or other skincancers that can occur later in life.• Learn and follow safety rules and suggestions for yourchild’s particular sport. More sport-specific safetysuggestions are listed in the pages that follow.

7preventing and treating InjuriesTreatment• Treatment for sports-related injuries will vary by injury.However, if your child suffers a soft tissue injury, such asa sprain or strain, or a bone injury, the best immediatetreatment is easy to remember: RICE (Rest, Ice,Compression, Elevation) the injury.• Get professional treatment if any injury is severe. A severeinjury means having an obvious fracture or dislocation of ajoint, prolonged swelling or prolonged or severe pain.

9SPORT-SPECIFIC SAFETY INFORMATIONBasketball• Common injuries and locations: sprains, strains,bruises, fractures, scrapes, dislocations, cuts,injuries to teeth, ankles and knees. (Injury rates arehigher in girls, especially for the anterior cruciateligament, the wide ligament that limits rotationand forward movement of the shin bone).• Safest playing with: eye protection, elbow andknee pads, mouth guard, athletic supporters formales, proper shoes, water. If playing outdoors,wear sunscreen and, when possible, a hat.• Injury prevention: strength training (particularlyknees and shoulders), aerobics (exercises thatdevelop the strength and endurance of heart andlungs), warm-up exercises, proper coaching, anduse of safety equipment.Here are somewinning waysto help preventan injury fromoccurring, soyou are lesslikely to get thatalarming phonecall like Jason’smom did.Track and Field• Common injuries: strains, sprains, scrapes from falls.• Safest playing with: proper shoes, athleticsupporters for males, sunscreen, water.• Injury prevention: proper conditioning and coaching.Football• Common injuries and locations: bruises, sprains,strains, pulled muscles, tears to soft tissues such asligaments, broken bones, internal injures (bruisedor damaged organs), concussions, back injuries,sunburn. Knees and ankles are the most commoninjury sites.• Safest playing with: helmet, mouth guard,shoulder pads, athletic supporters for males, chest/rib pads, forearm, elbow, and thigh pads, shinguards, proper shoes, sunscreen, water.• Injury prevention: proper use of safety equipment,warm-up exercises, proper coaching techniques, andconditioning.

10SPORT-SPECIFIC SAFETY INFORMATIONYou should bemindful of therisks associatedwith differentsports andtake importantmeasures toreduce thechance of injury.Baseball and Softball• Common injuries: soft tissue strains, impactinjuries that include fractures due to sliding andbeing hit by a ball, sunburn.• Safest playing with: batting helmet, shin guards,elbow guards, athletic supporters for males,mouth guard, sunscreen, cleats, hat, detachable“breakaway bases” rather than traditional,stationary ones.• Injury prevention: proper conditioning andwarm-ups.Soccer• Common injuries: bruises, cuts and scrapes,headaches, sunburn.• Safest playing with: shin guards, athleticsupporters for males, cleats, sunscreen, water.• Injury prevention: aerobic conditioning and warmups,proper training in “heading” (that is, using thehead to strike or make a play with the ball).Gymnastics• Common injuries: sprains and strains of softtissues.• Safest playing with: athletic supporters formales, safety harness, joint supports (such asneoprene wraps), water.• Injury prevention: proper conditioning andwarm-ups.

11Treat injuries with “rice”Rest:Reduce or stop using the injured area for at least 48hours. If a leg injury occurs, do you best to keep yourchild off of it completely.Ice:Put an ice pack on the injured area for 20 minutes at atime, four to eight times per day. Use a cold pack, icebag or a plastic bag filled with crushed ice that has beenwrapped in a towel.RICE• Rest• Ice• Compression• ElevationCompression:Ask your child’s doctor about elastics wraps, air casts,special boots, or splints that can be used to compress aninjured ankle, knee or wrist to reduce swelling.Elevation:Keep the injured area elevated above the level of the heartto help decrease swelling. Use a pillow to help elevate aninjured limb.

12play it safe in the heatHeat injuriesare alwaysdangerous andcan be fatal.Heat-relatedinjuries area particularproblemfor childrenbecausechildrenperspire lessthan adultsand requirea highercore bodytemperatureto triggersweating.• Schedule regular fluid breaks during practice and games.Kids need to drink eight ounces of fluid, preferablywater, every 20 minutes, and more after playing.• Have your child wear light-colored, “breathable”clothing.• Make player substitutions more frequently in the heat.• Use misting sprays on the body to keep cool.• Know the signs of heat-related problems, includingconfusion, dilated pupils, dizziness, fainting, headache,heavy perspiration, nausea, pale and moist or hot,dry skin, weak pulse, and weakness. If your childexperiences any combination of these symptomsor doesn’t seem quite right, seek medical attentionimmediately.Adapted with permission from Patient Care magazine, copyrighted by Medical Economics.

more information and other useful links14For more information on sports injuries and prevention, contact:CHRISTUS St. Patrick HospitalSports Health program524 S. Ryan Street | Lake Charles, LA 70601Phone: 337-491-7577 | Fax: 337-491-7157www.christusstpatrick.orgwww.christusstpatricksportshealth.orgChildren’s Miracle Network of Southwest Louisiana524 S. Ryan Street | Lake Charles, LA 70601Phone: 337-491-7750www.stpatrickfoundation.orgNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)Information Clearinghouse · National Institutes of Health1 AMS Circle | Bethesda, MD 20892-3675Phone: 301-495-4484 | Toll Free: 877-22-NIAMS (226-4267)TTY: 301–565–2966 | Fax: 301-718-6366Email: NIAMSinfo@mail.nih.govFor more NIAMS information about knee problems, sprains and strains,growth plate injuries, and shoulder problems: www.niams.nih.govOther Useful Links• Arthritis FoundationP.O. Box 7669 | Atlanta, GA 30357-0669Phone: 404-872-7100 | Toll Free: 800-283-7800www.arthritis.org• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)P.O. Box 2058 | Des Plaines, IL 60017Toll Free: 800-824-BONE (2663)Email: pemr@aaos.orgwww.aaos.org• American Academy of Pediatrics141 Northwest Point Boulevard | Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098Phone: 847-434-4000 | Fax: 847-434-8000www.aap.org

more information and other useful links• American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM)11639 Earnshaw | Overland Park, KS 66210Phone: 913-327-1415 | Fax: 913-327-1491www.amssm.org• American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)6300 N. River Road, Suite 500 | Rosemont, IL 60018Phone: 847-292-4900 | Fax: 847-292-4905Email: aossm@aossm.orgwww.sportsmed.org• National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA)2952 Stemmons Freeway, #200 | Dallas, TX 75247Phone: 214-637-6282 | Toll Free: 800-TRY-NATA (800-879-6282) | Fax: 214-637-2206www.nata.org• American Physical Therapy Association1111 North Fairfax Street | Alexandria, VA 22314-1488Phone: 703–684–2782 | Toll Free: 800–999–2782, ext. 3395www.apta.org• American College of Rheumatology (ACR)1800 Century Place, Suite 250 | Atlanta, GA 30345-4300Phone: 404-633-3777 | Fax: 404-633-1870www.rheumatology.org• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)www.nhfs.org15• National SAFE KIDS Campaignwww.safekids.org• National Youth Sports Safety Foundationwww.nyssf.orgInformation in this guide provided by National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.

524 South Ryan Street | Lake Charles, LA 70601 | 337-491-7577