Sports medicine

Water usually is the best choice for exercise unless your child is involved in workouts longer than 60 minutes. At that point, the energy stored in muscle is becoming depleted and electrolytes in the body have been lost in the sweat. Therefore, for these longer bouts of exercise, have your child consume a sports drink that contains carbohydrates (for fuel) and salt/potassium (for electrolytes).

Strength training can absolutely be safe in kids if proper resistance techniques and safety precautions are followed. Strength and core training is beneficial for maximal performance, rehabilitation from injury and enhancing long-term health.

Research has shown that even young children can safely begin strength training. If your child is ready to participate in organized sports, they are probably ready to begin strength training (This typically corresponds to age 6-8 years). The key to making this activity safe is to provide supervised training that emphasizes safety precautions, proper technique and proper use of equipment. The training regimen should involve lower weight, higher repetition lifting. Body resistance exercises are a great choice for young athletes. Maximal lifts or any type of Olympic-style lifting should be avoided.

Strength training has the obvious positive consequence of increasing overall strength, in addition to playing a role in injury prevention and long-term health. Strength training in youth may also stimulate bone mineralization and have a positive effect on bone density. Appropriate strength-training programs have no adverse effects on linear growth or growth plates. Core strength, resistance exercises and flexibility are crucial elements of keeping active kids healthy in their sport and long term.

The risks of strength training in kids come from unsafe lifting techniques and equipment being used improperly in an unsupervised setting. Children and adolescents should avoid power lifting, body- building and maximal lifts until reaching physical and skeletal maturity in order to avoid injuries.

If your child is recovering from an injury, it might be appropriate to wear a brace to compete. For example, if the athlete has had a significant ankle sprain, research has shown that an ankle brace may help prevent another ankle sprain. Not all braces have been shown to be as effective as the ankle brace, but there are other braces that may help athletes compete during the recovery phase. For athletes who have not had an injury, the use of bracing is controversial, as there is a lack of evidence that bracing is helpful to prevent an injury from happening in the first place. The most important concept for the athlete to understand is that regaining range of motion, strength and balance after an injury is the best method of preventing future problems. Bracing cannot substitute for the hard work needed to rehabilitate an injury.

In general, most supplements have not been studied in youth and using them should be discouraged. There is no requirement for supplements to be proven safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The products often do not live up to claims and they may not contain what they list as ingredients. Additionally, because of the lack of regulation, the product may contain traces of illegal, potentially dangerous, substances.

Having an injury can sometimes be a blessing for an athlete! During the injured period, the athlete can focus on gaining strength of other muscle groups. For example, core muscle training is usually allowed and can be an effective method of enhancing performance in a multitude of sports. Additionally, time can be spent on stretching tight muscles, a common problem in children and teens that may have contributed to injury. During the injury recovery period, flexibility around the injured joint and other joints can often help the athlete once they are ready to return to participating.

In the case of a sudden, acute injury, the best choice is to use ice. The swelling and inflammation associated with acute injury often results in significant pain. Ice applied directly to the injured area helps to reduce swelling, and therefore can be useful in controlling pain in the first 24-48 hours after a new injury. Ice can be applied with an ice pack. Applying ice directly to the skin should generally be avoided. Joints like the ankle respond well to submersion in a bucket of ice water. Heat tends to be more useful in more chronic injuries as a method of increasing blood flow to the area in order to relax and loosen tight, painful tissues. Physical therapists may even alternate ice and heat during specialized treatments for the athlete.

It is important for growing athletes to maintain flexibility to assist in prevention of overuse injuries. During periods of rapid growth, flexibility can easily decline, which contributes to overuse injuries of the lower extremities. Also, a decrease in flexibility can also be a significant factor in the development of overuse injuries around open growth plates in young athletes.

Stretching should follow 10-15 warm-up and cool-down periods for any athlete during activity. Focus should be on the lower extremities (for example, hamstring and quad stretches) for runners.

All sports inherently come with some risk, but the American College of Sports Medicine estimates that 50 percent of injuries are preventable. Here are some ways to help your child stay safe:

• Ease them into training early to assure they are ready for the heat, altitude and exertion when practice starts.
• Dress them right (in light-colored, breathable clothes) and hydrate (drink 16 ounces of water or sports drink one hour before practice and four to eight ounces of fluid every 20 minutes during practice or play).
• Know the coach and be sure they have an emergency plan and know how to reach you. Ask if the coach, or anyone else present at practice, knows first aid and CPR. Be sure the coach is aware of any pre-existing medical conditions your child might have.
• Get your child a pre-participation physical even if the sport doesn't require it.
• Don’t let them over-train, as too much training and not enough rest can lead to injury, fatigue and burnout. Our doctors recommend setting aside at least a few months out of the year for the child to take a break from sports.