Q&A: Teens & sports injuries

As the school year approaches, many children are interested in playing sports. As parents, there is concern about injuries, but there are ways to help prevent them.

Injuries are common in all sports and difficult to completely avoid. There are some things you can do to help your child prepare for the season:

• First make sure your child is in good physical condition. It can be tough to return to an intensive sport without preparation and training over the summer. A sports physical is a great time for your doctor to assess your child's condition.
• Avoid very heavy weight lifting, but instead go for moderate weights with higher repetitions.
• Consider cross-training and not just running and lifting weights.
• It is very important for the equipment to fit well, especially the helmet.
• Talk to your child about concussions and the signs and symptoms to watch for, such as headaches, difficulty concentrating, and sensitivity to light. It’s important that they tell the coaching staff and you about any head injury, and not just one that occurs in a game.

Though sometimes injuries can be due to bad luck, proper preparation and well-fitting equipment is an important key to avoiding injuries.

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