Young athletes are often seen as strong and invincible. With seemingly limitless energy, they are known to bounce back quickly from injury and fatigue. However, just as aging athletes can sustain injuries, so can their youthful counterparts.
Different from adults, children and adolescents are often enrolled in multiple sports programs that involve regular (if not daily) training practices. Without required recovery periods, these demanding schedules can lead to young bodies becoming weakened and injured.
This article addresses how, as a parent, you can prevent injuries in your young athlete and help treat any injuries that have already occurred.
It is common for young athletes to have strict sports schedules. These schedules often involve more than one sport. If your child partakes in multiple sports, it is important that you and your child are aware of how this combination of activity affects the developing body.
When looking at your child’s schedule it is important to factor in time for rest and recovery. Without a period of relaxation, the athlete will not have time to recover properly and his or her muscles will begin to suffer. If muscles cannot work properly, bones may be affected, too. These issues can lead to lasting injuries that may impact later performance and linger into adulthood.
In addition, the purpose of involving your child in sports training is so that he or she can develop talent, skill and teamwork techniques. This should be accomplished in a supportive environment that places a high priority on overall character development. If your child’s coach values winning over all else, it may be time for your child to leave the team. This will help to avoid mental and physical injuries, as well as burnout.
If your child has sustained a physical athletic injury, a physiotherapist can help your child to heal and regain strength. He or she can also review your child’s training schedule, exercise requirements, and the number of sports that are being played simultaneously. From there, a physiotherapist can offer suggestions on how your child’s sports schedule should be restructured to obtain a high level of optimum health.
More so, a physiotherapist can teach your child strategies that will help him or her prevent future injury. This may include stretching, resting, or strength building. All of these strategies should help to bring pain relief and reduce recovery time. With the help of a physiotherapist, your child can avoid injury which can decrease the number of days he or she is absent from school and increase time for play.
If you are worried that your child may sustain a sports injury due to overly aggressive training or playing too many sports at once, you are not alone. Seeking advisement on this concern as well as seeking treatment for a current sports injury are great reasons to see a physiotherapist.
Despite showing high levels of energy, your child needs time to rest and recover after playing sports. Balance your child’s sports schedule in a way that will benefit him or her for years to come.