| Warm weather has finally arrived, and along with it many more outdoor activities and competition in sports for your children. Close to 6 million high school students participate in team sports in school and another 20 million join in recreational or competitive sports out of school. Each young athlete is unique in their growth, physical maturity, and knowledge of sports skills. A physical is important in identifying your child's strengths and weaknesses. Proper diet and injury prevention will make sports safe and enjoyable for your child. Until the onset of puberty, boys and girls can compete together because boys and girls are almost the same size and weight. Girls generally enter puberty between 10 and 12 years of age, about 2 yrs. before boys do. After puberty boys gain an advantage in both strength and size and therefore should not be competing against girls in sports for safety and fairness issues. Each sport has its recommended safety measures - protective padding, cups, helmet, shin guards, elbow and wrist protection, etc. The risk of injury is present in all sports, and children and parents should be aware of the particular risks involved with the sports activity they are choosing. If players wear the appropriate protective equipment, many sports injuries can be prevented. Most sports injuries involve the soft tissues, not the bony skeleton. About 5% of sports injuries involve fractures. The greatest numbers of injuries are sprains and strains. Sprains are injuries to the ligaments, which connect one bone to another, and strains are injuries to the muscles. The chance of injury increases with the degree of contact in a sport. Knee injuries are the most common serious injury in major sports. A trained doctor who specializes in children and young people can best answer questions about your child's health and fitness for playing a sport. To ensure that sports are fun for your child, keep them safe. |
| SAFETY FROM THE BACKYARD TO THE PLAYGROUND: SUMMER SPORTS AND YOUR CHILD |
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