Summer is on it way and this means sports day is just around the corner for many children. Although sports participation provides numerous physical and social benefits, it also has a downside: the risk of sports-related injuries.
Here are our top tips to keep your child injury free:
Warm-Up: Teach your child to warm up their muscles before taking part in strenuous activity. Start the warm up with a light jog to increase their heart rate and then start stretching to prevent muscle strains and pulls.
Regular Training: Attending training programmes will help your child to build up sport specific strength, endurance, coordination and skills gradually (1). This will reduce the risk of injury with over exertion during competitive games.
Appropriate Footwear: Make sure it’s the right shoe for the sport and make sure it’s the right size! It’s also vital that the chosen shoe has enough ankle and arch support.
Stay Hydrated: Make sure your child is well hydrated and is drinking fluids before, during and after and sports activities.
If you feel your child is at risk of developing a sports injury due to de-conditioning over the winter, then our physiotherapists can provide sport specific training. Or if your child has already sustained a sports injury then our physiotherapists can assess, diagnose and treat your child to get them back on the road to recovery. Contact us today on0207 884 0374 or email us at info@physiocomestoyou.com.
1. (1). Abernethy L, Bleakley C. Strategies to prevent injury in adolescent school sport: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2007, 41: 627- 638.