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Coaches Can Prevent Injury in Young Athletes
Nothing is more disheartening for a young athlete than being benched by an injury. Not only does the athlete experience physical pain, he or she also feels the frustration of not being able to participate. Coaches can help prevent this situation by promoting the safety of young athletes in the following ways: - Understand what makes young athletes different. Until the mid- or late-teens, the bones, joints and soft tissues are not fully developed. An injury that causes soft tissue damage in an adult may cause a fractured bone in a child or young teen. In addition, some injuries — including Little League elbow, Sever’s condition (heel pain) and Osgood-Schlatter’s condition (knee pain) — occur almost exclusively in young athletes.
- Stress proper conditioning. Most minor injuries in young athletes can be prevented with proper training. Encourage young athletes to stretch for at least 10 minutes before and after activity. Increase speed, intensity and distance at a gradual pace to prevent overuse injuries. Finally, encourage players to remain conditioned throughout the season, particularly if they participate in sports like baseball, softball and hockey. These are not aerobic sports, so athletes can lose their conditioning if they don’t train between games.
- Discourage children under 14 from training with heavy weights. A child’s musculoskeletal system cannot withstand the stress of lifting heavy weights. Young athletes who want to build strength can lift very little weights — a pound or two — at a higher number of repetitions.
- Pull tired players from the game. Fatigue is a common cause of injury during intense games. To prevent injury, take players out of the game when they’re tired. Help players avoid fatigue by stressing proper conditioning before and during the season.
- Look for signs of injury. Some injuries are easy to spot. Common signs include bruising, loss of mobility, an inability to put weight on the affected area and an obvious change (like deformity or excessive swelling) in a joint or bone. Very often, the injury will not be obvious, or the young athlete won’t tell you that he or she is hurt. Watch the player’s body language. Injured players often limp, wince, favor one limb over another or try to compensate for a weakened or sore limb. If you suspect an injury, pull the athlete from play until he or she can be evaluated by a medical professional.
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