By Jerry Grillo
WebMD Feature
More than 1.3 million kids went to the ER with sports injuries in 2012. That’s a lot of torn knee ligaments, sprained ankles, and busted heads.
Which are the most dangerous activities. And what can you do to keep a young athlete safe?
Bumps and Bruises by the Numbers
• Football caused the most emergency room injuries among U.S. athletes 19 and under (394,350 ER visits in 2012), followed by basketball, soccer, then baseball.
• The body parts most affected are the ankle, head, finger, knee, and face.
• Strains and sprains are the most commonly diagnosed in kids -- 451,480 annually. Next up are broken bones, bruises, scrapes, and concussions.
The best way to avoid an ER visit is to start preparing before the first snap, tipoff, face-off, or pitch of the season.
“It starts with a good, all-around preseason physical,” says David Marshall, MD, medical director of the Sports Medicine Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “Not just the physical examination. Let’s teach more about stretching and nutrition and supplements. Let’s teach awareness. I usually don’t get involved until somebody gets injured. But I’d like to see us become more proactive at the front end.”
Concussions
A concussion, the most common type of traumatic brain injury, is a blow to the head that can affect the way your brain works.
There are more concussions in football than in any other sport: 58,080. That's more than basketball and soccer combined. Almost half the concussions in youth sports occur between ages 12 and15.
Symptoms include:
- headaches
- confusion
- nausea/vomiting
- dizziness
- slurred speech
- numbness
- loss of balance
- loss of memory
- mood changes
If your young athlete experiences any of these symptoms, seek medical attention. Concussions are serious business. Kids who go to the emergency department with sports-related concussions are about twice as likely to be hospitalized as those with non-concussion injuries. Early diagnosis, treatment, and rehab are crucial in achieving the best outcomes.
Raising Head Injury Awareness
With concussion, effective treatment begins with awareness.
“In a lot of concussions, a kid might feel dizzy and confused, but there are no outward signs,” Marshall says. “But we’re seeing a trend of more awareness among kids, parents, coaches, school administrators.”
A high school football team might have 70 kids in a workout. You can’t expect the coach to look every kid in the eye. So, Marshall and his colleagues at Children's Healthcare are teaching the buddy system to the school sports teams they work with.
“From time to time, you check on your buddy,” Marshall says. “Did he take a good shot? Ask him if he’s seeing stars. Is he feeling light-headed? Make him tell you if something hurts, or he doesn’t feel right, and let somebody know.”
source : Kids' Sports Injuries
