Children’s Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are fairly common among both athletic children and adults. However, children have an even greater variety of mild sports injuries than adults. It is estimated that up to a third of children who actively exercise suffer from some form of sports injury each year.
Types of sports injuries in children
Acute injuries
Among the most common acute injuries are fractures and soft tissue injuries that are directly related to various collisions and falls during sports. The most common acute injuries are:
- Dislocation of the elbow
- Fracture of the patella
- SI joint malfunction
- Tearing of the tibia
- Tearing of the inner part of the patella
Stress injuries
These injuries, also known as stress injuries, are due to repetitive submaximal exertion. If such an injury is not treated quickly, it may damage the child’s bones. Such an injury can be caused, for example, by:
- Mistakes during training
- Wrong type of footwear
- Latent orthopedic changes
- Wrong training platform
Studies on sports injuries in children
Certain types of sports injuries are often associated with certain sports. In 2008 , I published a study on the subject in The International Journal of Medicine and Science of Physical Activity and Sport . According to it, children engaged in the sports listed below are most likely to suffer from sports injuries.
Football
Football is one of the most popular sports among children worldwide. It is a type of contact in which a player comes into intense physical contact with another player and sometimes also with the ball. As a result, various injuries, especially trauma to the legs, are more likely to occur than in many other species.
According to the information gathered in the study, football is at the top of the list when it comes to sports where school-age children injure themselves the most. According to statistics, there are also a lot of injuries in indoor football.
Basketball
Basketball is another sport that children enjoy, with many benefits but an unfortunate high risk of injury. The most common injuries in basketball are ankle twisting and overloading, as well as damage to the tendons of the hands. According to the study, 42% of children’s sports injuries come from football and 15% from basketball.
According to the study, the third most, or 14%, sports injuries occur in gymnastics.
How to prevent sports injuries in children?
Parents and coaches have an important role to play in the prevention of sports injuries in children, as they are the most important role models for children. Adults need to take care of sports-related attitude education and tell the child how to move safely, what the right performance technique is and how to maintain muscles.
- Appropriate exercise program and the right amount of training. For children, it is especially important to ensure that the exercise program is not too demanding.
- Warm-up and recovery. Proper warm-up before sports performance and post-performance recovery promote safe sports. Fluid intake must also be taken care of, as dehydration can lead to fatigue and impaired coordination, thereby increasing susceptibility to injury.
- Versatility of exercise. Exercising only on certain muscles increases the risk of stress injuries. Therefore, alongside one species, it is worth pursuing another complementary option.
- Considering your own limitations. The general state of health and possible injuries and illnesses must always be taken into account. In addition to this, when starting a hobby, it is important to build fitness towards a sufficient level of the sport little by little.
- Proper use of sports equipment. In addition to the fact that the shoes must sit well and be suitable for that particular hobby, other equipment and tools must also be safe and the child must be taught to use them properly.
- Choosing a suitable playmate. The fact that children of different sizes and ages compete against each other increases the risk of physical injury.
