About 4 million kids will sustain an injury from sports this year. Most of these injuries are preventable.
1. Check the gear. Are the shoes fitted and comfortable? Does the activity call for shin guards, elbow pads, or a helmet? Biking, skating and skateboarding are responsible for about half of sports head injuries: Safe Kids explains the quick 3-point helmet check in this video.
2. Stretch. Stretching before and after strenuous exercise is one of the most effective ways to prevent injury. Kids think this part is boring – find videos for the stretches needed for their sport.
3. Sweat-proof, waterproof sunscreen. Sunburn affects the body’s natural ability to cool down. This leads to serious heat-related illnesses – heat cramps, exhaustion or heat stroke.
4. Condition. Many sports injuries are the result of fatigue and poor conditioning. Gradually increasing the intensity and duration of activity, adding a little time every day, trains the body to release heat and replace fluids.
5. Hydrate. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. Young athletes are particularly susceptible to dehydration in the summer, and need regular, sustained water and cool-down breaks.
Sports Safety International has more information on safe summer sports.
In this series, I am summarizing the best summer safety information I can find. Follow me on Twitter for daily updates. Have a happy and safe summer!
