Play Ball! 
Spring is here and the warmer weather provides a great opportunity for kids to be involved in organized sports. From little league to soccer, tennis and swimming, youngsters of all ages have a variety of sports to choose from. Athletics can improve self-esteem, build leadership skills and self-discipline, and enhance fitness and motor skills in children.
The months of April through September are the most dangerous for children, according to the Injury Prevention Center at Hasbro Children's Hospital, thus it’s important for parents and coaches to know how to make sports injury-free.
Craig Eberson, MD, a pediatric orthopedist at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, says that he most commonly sees two kinds of injuries: overuse injuries and accidents. Overuse injuries develop when children play the same sport year-round and the repetitive nature of the activity causes inflammation of the knee, elbow or other area of the body. Accidental injuries often occur when children do not use equipment properly or are not supervised by adults.
For warm weather sports, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons provides a list of the sports that led to the most injuries in 2005:
- Basketball: 1,066,004 injuries
- Bicycling: 832,775 injuries
- Baseball and softball: 427,372 injuries
- Trampolines: 211,646 injuries
- Swimming: 117,889 injuries
- Volleyball: 92,409 injuries
- In-line skating: 82,903 injuries
- Tennis: 20,514 injuries
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As children continue to grow, their ligaments and tendons can be tight, especially during growth spurts, putting them at greater risk for injury. The most common sports injuries include sprains, strains, bruises, breaks and dislocations to the hand, wrist, elbow, shin, calf, head, neck and clavicle. These injuries lead to more than four million emergency room visits every year, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Prevention
More than 30 million children are involved in organized sports in America and while bumps and bruises are par for the course, here are a few ways to prevent more serious injuries:
- Choose a well-organized program with properly maintained recreation areas and equipment.
- Choose a coach who is trained in injury prevention and treatment, and who enforces safety rules.
- Ensure that your child is always using the appropriate protective gear for each sport.
- Make sure your child is playing with others of his or her size and ability—don’t rely on age as the only guideline.
- Require your child to complete a warm-up and cool-down routine before and after exercise.
- Make sure your child drinks plenty of water before, during and after exercise.
- Never let your child practice or play in a game if he or she is hurt
In order to prevent overuse injuries, Eberson says that children should play different sports at different times of the year, thereby exercising a variety of muscle groups. He notes that the advent of year-round facilities such as indoor ice rinks, soccer fields and basketball courts encourage youngsters to play a single sport all year. This has coincided with an increase in the number of overuse injuries during the past 15 years. Though the competitive nature of sports fuels children’s desire to play through pain and practice one sport throughout the year, parents should ensure that sports remain a healthy pastime for their children.
At home parents can also take an active role in preventing injuries, such as those from a trampoline, bike or a skateboard, by making sure their children follow basic rules of safety.
Whether your children are playing baseball or learning to surf, pay attention to their behavior, and if they appear hurt or complain of any pain, call your child’s pediatrician.
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