Sports Safety
Playing sports is great for children and adults. It has both physical and psychological benefits. Sports can increase physical coordination, fitness, and self-esteem. They also teach important lessons about teamwork and self-discipline.
Sports injuries are likely to occur in children. That's because their bodies are still growing and their coordination is still developing. And they are still learning about the correct form and technique of a certain sport. Children are enthusiastic about physical activities. This can result in them not taking enough rest breaks, which makes them more likely to get injuries. Many children ages 14 and younger are treated for sports-related injuries each year. Half of all those injuries can be prevented with correct use of safety gear and changes to the playing environment. Following sports rules can help prevent injuries, too.
Most sports injuries occur due to the following:
-
Lack of education and awareness about safety precautions and possible injury
-
Inappropriate equipment or no equipment
-
Poorly conditioned players
These are general safety precautions to help prevent sports injuries:
-
Wear the right safety gear and equipment.
-
Have a good warm-up and cool-down routine including stretches.
-
Make sure the playing environment is well-lit and appropriate for the sport.
-
Follow safety rules.
-
Stay hydrated during and after sports.
-
Take breaks while training and during games to prevent overuse injuries.
-
Don't play while injured
Safety gear and equipment
Safety gear should be sport-specific. It may include such items as goggles, mouth guards, shin-elbow-knee pads, and helmets. The safety gear should fit correctly. Sports equipment (such as bats, baskets, and goals) should also be in good working condition. Any damage should be repaired, or the item should be replaced. The playing area should be free from debris and water.
The sports physical
To make sure your child is physically fit to play a certain sport, get a sports physical. These physicals can reveal physical strengths and weaknesses. They can help determine which sports are appropriate.
When is my child ready to participate in sports?
Starting a child in sports at too young an age may not benefit the child physically. Children can start playing team sports when they express strong interest and you feel they can handle it. Age and size shouldn't be the only measures used. Also, consider their ability to understand the concept of rules and teamwork. Keep in mind that no two children are alike. Some may not be ready physically or psychologically to take part in a team sport until they are older. Base your decision on whether to allow the child to take part in a particular sport on the following:
-
Age
-
Weight
-
Build
-
Physical development
-
Emotional development
-
Child's interest in the sport
Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that late-developing teens not take part in contact sports until their bodies have developmentally "caught up" to their peers' bodies.
The importance of hydration
Sweat lost during sports must be replaced with equal amounts of fluids each hour of intense sports activity. Your child should drink fluids before, during, and after each practice or game. To prevent stomach cramps from drinking large amounts of fluids at once, drink about 1 cup of water (or a type of sports drink) every 15 to 20 minutes. Don't drink beverages with carbonation and caffeine.
The following are the most common symptoms of dehydration:
-
Extreme thirst
-
Weakness
-
Muscle aches or cramps
-
Dry mouth
-
Headache or dizziness
-
Dark-colored urine
-
Slight weight loss
If your child has signs of dehydration, make sure your child gets fluids right away, as well as a snack. Some symptoms of dehydration may be caused by other health problems. Always see a healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Online Medical Reviewer: Dan Brennan MDMarianne Fraser MSN RNShaziya Allarakha MD
Date Last Reviewed: 2/1/2024
© 2000-2024 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
Related Conditions
- Contact Sports and Kids: How to Keep Your Children Safe
- Watching for Internal Sports Injury in a Child
- Sever Disease in Children
- Sports and Children with Special Needs
- Workouts to Help Prevent Sports Injuries
- 5 Home Safety Threats You Might Overlook
- A Safety Checklist for Parents
- Cheerleading Safety
- Eye Protection Critical in Sports
- Eye Protection Keeps Kids in the Game
- For Parents: Bicycle, In-Line Skating, Skateboard, and Scooter Safety
- Have a Hazard-Free Halloween
- When Can a Child Wear Contact Lenses
- How to Prevent Common Running Injuries
- Is It Time for Toilet Training?
- Knees Are Casualties of Women's Sports
- Preventing Household Poisonings
- Reading to Kids Helps Their Development
- Sports and Music: Both Good for Kids
- Street Hockey: Good Surface, Gear Are Critical
- Unwrap the Gift of Toy Safety
- Weight Room No Longer Off-Limits to Kids
- Prevent Injury Around Barbecue Grills
- Car Seat Safety and Distracted Driving
- Conditioning Strategies for Peak Athletic Performance
- Dehydration
- Easy Ways You Can Safeguard Your Sight
- Essential Guidelines for Firework Safety
- Hazardous Substances Demand Your Respect
- Head Injury
- In Case of Emergency...Be Ready for Anything
- Job Safety Critical for Teens
- Preventing Sports Injuries
- Scoping Out Sunglasses
- Sports-Related Injuries
- Sports Safety
- Teenagers and Summer Jobs
- The Best Ways to Treat, Prevent Tendonitis
- Treating a Minor Sports Injury
- Using Sports Psychology to Improve Your Fitness
- Why the Healthcare Provider Examines the Neck and Throat
- Why the Healthcare Provider Presses Your Belly
- Work Out on the Water
- Airway Obstruction: Prevention
- Anatomy of a Child's Brain
- Anatomy of the Endocrine System in Children
- Anxiety Disorders in Children
- Asthma in Children Index
- Bicycle / In-Line Skating / Skateboarding Safety
- Bicycling, Inline Skating, Skateboarding, and Scooter Safety—Prevention
- Bone Marrow Transplant for Children
- Brain Tumors in Children
- Newborn Care in the Delivery Room
- Chemotherapy for Children: Side Effects
- Discipline
- Ewing Sarcoma in Children
- Eye Safety and First Aid
- Eye Trauma
- Fire Safety and Burns
- Fire Safety and Burns Overview
- Fire Safety and Burns—Identifying High-Risk Situations
- Firearms
- Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in Children
- Home Page - Adolescent Medicine
- Home Page - Burns
- Home Page - Eye Care and Children
- Inflammatory and Infectious Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Inflammatory and Infectious Neurological Disorders
- Inguinal Hernia in Children
- Insect Bites and Children
- Kidney Transplantation in Children
- Male Growth and Development
- Meningitis in Children
- Mood Disorders in Children and Adolescents
- Motor Vehicle Safety Overview
- Mouthguards
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Myasthenia Gravis (MG) in Children
- Osteosarcoma (Osteogenic Sarcoma) in Children
- Pedestrian Safety
- Pediatric Blood Disorders
- Physical Exam: Adolescent Male
- Physical Exam for a Child with Congenital Heart Disease
- Physical Exam of the Newborn
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Children
- Preparing the School-Aged Child for Surgery
- Preventing Falls
- Safety and Injury Prevention for Teens
- Safety for You and Your Child
- Schizophrenia in Children
- Nutrition- School-Age
- Sports Injuries and Children
- Preventing Sports Injury in Children
- Sports Safety for Children
- Sports Safety for Teens
- Sports Safety—Identifying High-Risk Situations
- Superficial Injuries of the Face and Head- Overview
- Screen Time and Children
- Tennis Elbow in Children
- Thalassemia
- The Growing Child: 1 to 3 Months
- The Growing Child: 10 to 12 Months
- The Growing Child: 2-Year-Olds
- The Growing Child: 4 to 6 Months
- The Growing Child: 7 to 9 Months
- The Growing Child: Newborn
- The Growing Child: Preschool (4 to 5 Years)
- The Growing Child: School-Age (6 to 12 Years)
- The Heart
- The Kidneys
- Toy Safety
- Toy Safety—Identifying High-Risk Situations
- Toy Safety—Prevention
- Water Safety and Teens
- Water Safety for Children
- Water Safety—Prevention
- Your Child's Asthma
- Your Child's Asthma: Flare-ups
- Fire Safety
- Firearms Safety
- Household Safety Checklist
- Helping Kids Get Over their Fears
- Kids and Swimming Safety Quiz
- Stay Safe This Winter