There was a time when youth sports was a great way for kids to get exercise, have fun, learn about teamwork, and discipline. I still think this happens in some sports but with so much demand on playing all year round with travel teams, AAU teams, and premier teams, acute and overuse injuries are happening to young athletes at a rapid rate. Organizations, coaches, and parents need to slow this down and have longer off seasons. Too many times I end up doing rehab training and not speed training. We need to get back to playing safe and having fun in the sport. Here are some good tips for coaches and parents in teaching our kids to play safe and have fun in sports.
1. Encourage annual pre-participation physical exam that allows for screening, prevention, and treatment of any conditions.
2. Warm up properly before an activity.
3. Cool-Down properly after an activity.
4. Use proper training and technique.
5. Increase training gradually and use the 10% rule of gradual progression.
6. Wear proper fitting equipment.
7. Drink enough water- Athletes often forget to hydrate. Take several water breaks
8. Rest and Take a break. This one is critical. Kids who play sports year-round are more likely than others to experience overuse injuries because they are not givingt their bodies a chance to rest and recover. Encourage kids to take at least one season off a year. They should mix it up play different sports during the year so that the same muscle groups are not being used continuously, leading to overuse injuries.
Lets all work together and put the FUN back in sports!
No comments:
Post a Comment