TEEN HEALTH: SPORTS AND EXERCISE SAFETY

Kim came across a great website.... TeensHealth.org. They have some really useful resources and articles.  If you have teens you should check it out.  Here is an excerpt of an article we came across and really like it is about sports and exercise safety. 

For the whole article go to: http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/sport_safety.html#

Staying Off the Court (or out of the game) When You're Hurt

If you've been injured and you try to come back too soon, you run the great risk of reinjuring yourself — maybe even more seriously than before. Don't let anyone — including yourself, your parents, your friends, or even your coach — pressure you into playing before your body is fully healed. Your doctor, coach, or trainer will give you specific advice on when you should return to your sport or activity.
Taking time to heal is particularly important if you've had a concussion. Lots of athletes try to come back too quickly after getting a concussion — because they can't see an injury, they think they're OK to play. But jumping back into the game too soon puts a player at greater risk for another concussion — and that can lead to a dangerous brain injury. So always get clearance from your doctor to play again if you've had a concussion.

Many athletes use pain relievers to avoid pain. If you feel persistent pain, don't use pain relievers to mask it, though. Taking large amounts of pain relievers — or, worse yet, taking pain relievers for a long time in order to play — can be dangerous. Pain is the body's way of signaling it's not happy with what you're doing. If you have a lot of pain, seek treatment so you can resolve what's causing it.

Be sure to seek medical treatment whenever you experience:

•moderate to severe pain

•pain that interferes with daily activity or sleep

•swelling of the injured area

•an inability to perform normal activities

The same advice goes for a cold or flu virus — don't play if you're sick. You won't be able to concentrate if your head is stuffed up and your nose is running faster than you are, and your lack of concentration can put you at risk for injury. It's better to wait until you feel better, so you can have a safe season.

At Focus we highly recommend that if your child (or you) has a sports injury that you take them to see their doctor or bring them in here, to make sure they are ok to play and are not in any danger of hurting themselves further.  Also for rehabilitation of the injury so they can get back on the field safely and might even go back stronger than before. 

Please call our office if you have any questions. 949.709.8770