Put Safety First for National Youth Sports Safety Month
April is a busy month! Not only is it Foot Health Awareness Month, which we commemorated with blogs on How To Examine Your Feet and When To Visit the Podiatrist, but this month we also recognize National Youth Sports Safety Month.
Safety for youth when playing sports is of paramount importance. Your child may feel like a hero, but it’s poor judgment to play through practices and games when suffering from an injury.
Here are PodiatryCare, PC and the Heel Pain Center, we do not advocate playing through the pain of a sports-related injury, especially for young athletes. Continuing to stress an injured foot or ankle can result in even more damage than the original injury and may even end an athletic career.
Playing through a stress fracture can exacerbate that injury into a full fracture and can even cause more injury in other spots as your body compensates to protect the original injury.
Coach Your Child To Report an Injury
Healthy sports means being aware of the limitations of your body. Have a serious conversation with your young athlete about speaking up if they are injured, whether during a practice or a competition. Help them to understand that good health must come first over winning a game, and that it’s acceptable to sit on the bench until physically cleared to return to the sport.
Watch for telltale signs of pain or injury: An unusual gait, favoring a foot or limping. Please make an appointment for an evaluation if you notice anything unusual.
How To Prevent Youth Injuries in Sports
All coaches should be trained in their sports as well as in first aid and CPR.
Each sport requires its own equipment and footwear – make sure that your child is prepared.
Coach your child on the importance of stretching, warming up and cooling down.
Encourage good hydration practices before, during and after activities.
You can read more about preventing youth injuries at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website.
Please bring your child in to one of our offices as soon as possible if he or she injures a foot or ankle.
We Can Help with All Foot Injuries Including Sports Injuries
The foot specialists at PodiatryCare, PC and the Heel Pain Center have extensive experience in treating all aspects of foot problems. Our team of doctors which consists of Dr. Robert Marra, Dr. Thomas Johnson, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and Dr. Ryan Donegan is dedicated to serving you with all of the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies. Many treatments and surgeries can be handled right in our offices. Please call us at (860) 741-3041 to make an appointment in one of our offices in Hartford County, conveniently located in Enfield, Windsor and South Windsor, CT.