Use Every Precaution Against Sports Injuries
It seems like almost as soon as summer vacation starts, it’s time to start prepping for back to school again. One thing we never like to think about, but have to plan for, is the likelihood of injuries that occur in relation to school sports. While we should always encourage our children to be active and exercise, and school sports are an excellent opportunity to do this, it’s important that we approach playing sports with the appropriate caution.
Who Is Getting Hurt?
The CDC estimates that there are roughly 775,000 annual emergency room visits related to sports injuries, with sports injuries being the leading cause of emergency room visits for 12-17 year olds. Men are injured twice as often as females, which may be a result of the fact that men are more likely to participate in contact sports than females. The most common sports that send kids to the emergency room include football, basketball, baseball, and soccer.
How Can We Prevent Injury?
There’s no way to completely prevent our young athletes from injuring themselves, but there are some safety measures that can be implemented to lower the incidence and severity of the injuries. All sports participants should receive annual physicals to make sure they’re in good physical shape to participate. It’s important to have all the proper clothing and protective gear that the sport calls for, making sure they are in working order and are fitted properly. All coaches and teachers should start each practice and game with a proper stretch and warm-up routine, followed by a cool down as well.
How Should We Handle Injuries?
If a participant is injured in a practice or game, it’s important to take the right steps to get treatment, and the coach and participants should understand the proper protocol. If there is a suspected concussion or head injury, an immediate trip to the ER is important. For less serious injuries including sprains, fractures, cuts, bruises, eye injuries, or joint pains, TrustCare are outfitted to serve and treat you without having to visit an ER. Our five conveniently located Jackson area clinics are designed to help treat minor injuries quickly and in the comfort of a small clinic. Contact us today if you have any questions about our services or need treatment for sports related injuries.