If you have children who enjoy sports, you know that each time they step out onto the court or field, they are at a heightened risk of suffering an injury. Supporting them through their activities can keep you both excited and worried for them!

Do you know how you would help your child if they suffered an injury during a game? Our highly knowledgeable staff at AFC Urgent Care Fountain City sees injuries from sports frequently, so we can help you better understand them below.

What Sports Produce the Most Injuries?

When you stop to think about the relation of sports to injuries, you probably associate the highest contact sports like football and basketball with the highest risk of injury. While you would be correct that sports like these tend to produce a higher number of injuries, that doesn’t mean the low-contact sports don’t also carry risk for your child.

Believe it or not, around 700 high school students suffer injuries while bowling for their school bowling teams each year! Regardless of the level of impact or intensity, any time your child partakes in physical activity, there is risk for injury. We offer some tips on how to handle different types of injuries below.

Common Sports Injuries

• Overuse injuries: If your child’s sport involves frequent, repetitive motion like pitching or swinging a club, he or she can suffer an injury of this type.
• Sprains and strains: These injuries are very common amongst sports that require quick pivoting and ankle twisting.
• Stress fractures: Runners and other track athletes see these often as they result from overexertion on muscles that cause tiny fractures to occur on the affected bone.
• Head or neck: Football is the main culprit for head or neck injuries, and they should always be taken seriously when they occur.

Is Injury Prevention Possible?

While it is impossible to completely prevent your children from suffering injuries, you can do a few things to encourage their safety while playing. To start, you should come by our center to be evaluated with a sports physical. This helps ensure your child is healthy enough to participate before taking to the field or court.

In addition, staying properly hydrating and eating plenty of healthy and filling food helps support proper body function. Lastly, always encourage a proper warmup and cool-down.

Tips for the Healing Process

• Practice the RICE method—Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate!
• Take note of any present symptoms and monitor any changes or worsening symptoms.
• Schedule an appointment with us or stop by for an X-ray if you are worried about any internal issues.

Did your child recently suffer a sports-related injury? Visit our AFC team to get an X-ray—no appointment necessary!