The Top Nine Questions Parents Have About Kids Sports Injuries

1. How can sports injuries be prevented? Many sports injuries are caused by stress from overuse and from the strains or inflammation around tendon insertions. A few tips to help avoid injuries include:
An athlete should have good nutrition and hydration prior to a practice or a game
An athlete should be well rested and alert.
Most importantly, the athlete should have good pre-season/pre-game training that includes stretching and flexibility skills, strengthening skills for the entire body, balance and coordination skills, plyometric skills and agility skills.

2. How many hours a week should young athletes train? This answer is age and sport specific. The greater the intensity of the sport on the muscle and joints, the more rest is needed. Here is a general guideline:
3-4 years old: 30-45 minutes, two times a week (including games)
5-7 years old: 45-60 minutes, two to three times a week (including games)
8-12 years old: one to two hours, three times a week (including games)
13-18 years old: one and a half to two hours, four to five times a week (including games)
Remember that participating in different sports, instead of the same sport year round, will decrease the risk of overuse injuries. It is recommended to vary practices and strength programs to rotate the different muscles throughout the week. In other words, don’t just run all the time. Mix in weights, jumping and stretching.

3. What can I do after an injury to decrease the severity of the injury? P-R-I-C-E
The best thing to do after an injury occurs is to ice the injured area 15-20 minutes with elevation and compression. Repeat 15-20 minutes of ice every hour to the injured area. Keep the area protected, elevated and use compression in between icings. This should be continued every hour while awake for 48-72 hours.

4. What can I do for my child who is in pain? Ice like described. OTC pain mediciation like ibuprofen or Tylenol (if not allergic) 10mg/kg of nody weight.

5. When do I apply ice to an injury? When do I apply heat to an injury?
Ice: Ice is applied for the first 48-72 injuries. Use ice when there is swelling or as prevention after a workout or game. It is never recommended to use ice before practice or a game. The numbness from the ice may cause the athlete to injure themselves more.
Heat: Heat is beneficial pre-practice or pre-game to an area that is stiff, as this will warm-up the muscles decreasing the risk of muscle strains. Heat is also beneficial when an athlete has dull/achy pain. Never use heat when swelling is present.

6. How long should my child rest before returning to activities? Your child should rest from physical activity until he/she is able to demonstrate pain-free activity. The athlete should be able to walk and run without a limp or pain. There should be no physical evidence of a functional deficit while the athlete is participating in their sport.

7. What is the role of bracing or taping an injured area? An injured area should be protected when there is an unstable joint that needs proprioceptive (body awareness) input and stability. Bracing is a better option than taping, as taping often becomes ineffective after 5-10 minutes of vigorous activity. It is not recommended to brace a joint that has not been previously injured. The brace can “take over” the role of the supporting muscles and in return, the muscles become weaker allowing the joint to be at higher risk of injury. If an athlete is in need of some form of bracing, it is recommended to do a strength-training program to the area to wean off of the brace.

8. Under what conditions should an athlete seek medical attention for an injury? It is never wrong to seek medical advice for your child’s injury. Immediate medical attention is needed when the athlete has:
Inability to bear weight on the inured area after 30 minutes of ice and rest
Obvious deformity of the joint (fracture, dislocation)
Persistent swelling or pain
Inability to return to sport or physical activity without pain
Repetitive injury to the same location
Any doubt about the severity of their injury.

9. How do I know if my child needs orthotics? Children need orthotics when they have a significant underlying congenital foot problem like significantly flat feet or extremely high arches; AND this foot deformity is causing repetitive injuries. Repetitive stress injuries are often caused by faulty biomechanics and can be controlled with functional foot orthotics. You want to discuss orthotic therapy with your physician if your child seems to be getting injured over and over. Other reasons for your child to need orthotics are kinetic chain disorders. This means that their foot type is causes stress injuries in other parts of there body; like their knees, hips or lower back. Orthotics are often prescribed to “perform a tire realignment” on a child’s foot to decrease stress in other parts of their body. The best way to determine the need for an orthotic is a comprehensive biomechanical exam at your podiatrist.

These are the top 9 questions parents ask about their child’s sports injuries. Hope they help keep your kids safe and enjoying all their sports!

Avoid Falls Running on Ice and Snow

Winter has decided to visit North Texas today. Two inches of ice covered by snow, and just in time for the Super Bowl. Time to think about trying to prevent slip and fall injuries. Lots of people fall on ice and snow every year-without serious injury. Not so fortunate were some 16,000 Americans who die each year from falls, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).

I wonder how many of them were runners? I watched from my window this morning as one of my crazy neighbors fell running on the sidewalk in front of my house. The snow had not even stopped coming down yet! Crazy! Even I ran on the treadmill this morning, and most of my peeps will tell you: I Hate Treadmill Running! Better the treadmill than the emergency room!

Falls rival poisoning as the number one home accident in the U.S. The number of injuries or deaths from falls due to winter conditions is not recorded by the NSC. But, safety experts agree that many injuries result from falls on ice-covered surfaces.

Safety Tips

It's important that individuals recognize the hazards of slippery surfaces. Here are helpful hints from winter-safety experts that will reduce the risk of falling when slippery conditions exist:

Wear boots or overshoes with soles. Avoid walking in shoes that have smooth surfaces, which increase the risk of slipping. Trail running shoes are better than your regular road shoes.

Run or walk consciously. Be alert to the possibility that you could quickly slip on an unseen patch of ice. Avoid the temptation to run quickly. Run in high alert!

Run or walk cautiously. Your arms help keep you balanced, so keep hands out of pockets and avoid carrying anything that may cause you to become off balance. This even means leaving your precious water bottle at home

Run or walk "small." Practice your "Chi" running and throw your center of gravity forward. Avoid an erect, marching posture. Look to see ahead of where you step.

When you step on icy areas, take short, shuffling steps, curl your toes under and run or walk as flatfooted as possible.

Run where the path has been cleared. Even in your own yard, remove snow immediately before it becomes packed or turns to ice. Keep your porch stoops, steps, walks and driveways free of ice by frequently applying ice melter granules. This is the best way to prevent formation of dangerous ice patches. Don't be stupid like my neighbor and try to run while snow is still flying!

Falling Safely

Even when you practice safe running and walking habits, slipping on ice is sometimes unavoidable. It takes, on average, less than two seconds from the moment you slip until you hit the ground. That's precious little time to react. In that instant, the risk is an injury to your head, a wrist, hip, ankle or shoulder.

When falling, it is best to use a tuck-and-roll principle. It's important to tuck your body, lift your head and avoid trying to break the fall with a hand, which can cause a wrist injury. Ask Dr Karpati about her broken wrist from skiing the next time you are in the office. The idea is to make yourself as small as possible by rolling up into a ball.

People in North Texas hardly ever think about falling on ice and snow, but serious injuries can occur. If you are a klutz or are planning to spend a lot of time in the cold; following these guidelines may help protect you from serious injury this winter. If it is not a choice to hit the treadmill, practice caustion while running in the snow and ice. If you do happen to fall and sprain your ankle or foot, call the office. Help is just a phone call away! And remember, just because you can walk on it doesn’t mean it is not broken.