How School Athletes Can Prevent Injuries

Participating in school sports offers many benefits to children—from improving physical fitness to formulating foundational teamwork skills. However, many physical sports, like football, baseball, and basketball, come with the risk of sports injuries. Young athletes should practice proper injury prevention techniques to ensure they stay healthy and safe for years to come.

How to Stay Safe and Prevent Injuries on the Field

The most common causes of sports injuries are overuse and trauma. With proper technique and strategic periods of rest, athletes and pediatric sports orthopedics can help reduce the number and severity of sports injuries during play.

Encouraging Proper Warm-up and Cool Down

Warming up before rigorous physical activity increases blood flow and improves range of motion in your muscles. Traditional wisdom (and scientific study) hold that properly warming up significantly reduces the change of a sports injury. Likewise, cooling down with gentle stretches aids in muscle recovery and decreases post-exercise soreness. 

Utilizing Strength and Conditioning

Strength and conditioning (S&C) programs bolster core muscles and make tendons and cartilage more resilient, reducing the risk of injury. S&C programs can be created and tailored to young athletes by parents, fitness professionals, or specialists in sports and pediatric orthopedics. 

Emphasizing Proper Technique

Emphasizing proper technique and form during training and competition is crucial for sports injury prevention. When young athletes aren’t made aware how to land safely, pivot effectively, and change direction without stressing vulnerable joints, they can make mistakes that can significantly increase the risk of sports injury. 

Getting Adequate Rest and Recovery Time

Training is a great way to strengthen muscles and improve performance, but over time it can stress muscles. Without proper rest, overtraining can result in pain, muscle strain, and other sports injuries. Encouraging young athletes to rest regularly during training can go a long way towards preventing injuries.

Scheduling Regular Monitoring and Screening

Regular monitoring and screening for musculoskeletal issues can help identify potential injury risks early on. Pediatric and sports orthopedic specialists can conduct pre-participation screenings to assess young athletes' physical readiness and identify underlying conditions and biomechanical issues that may predispose them to injury. 

Keep Your Child Safe with Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal

By implementing injury prevention strategies and working with sports orthopedics and pediatric orthopedics specialists, schools and families can help keep their athletes safe, healthy, and performing at their best. For expert guidance on implementing injury prevention strategies and accessing specialized care for your athletes, reach out to Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute today.