Along with cooler weather and falling leaves, comes an array of fall sports — and with them the possibility of sports-related injuries.
Dr. Michael Yost, an orthopedist with Newman Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, recently discussed ways to reduce the risk of injury among young athletes.
He said it’s important for parents and coaches to first determine what sport is appropriate for a child, and have a good grasp on the child’s level of fitness.
During warmer months, especially, Yost said athletic conditioning and high-heat tolerance are important concerns for football players.
Proper fluid replacement or hydration protects against heat stroke or exhaustion and helps avoid muscle cramps, he said. It’s also important for athletes to stretch before playing a game or practicing.
Younger kids who play football should be taught proper techniques for tackling and other moves, Yost said. Shoulder dislocations and knee injuries are common in football, Yost added, so proper technique is essential for all ages.
“If you’re doing something wrong over and over again, it’s not good (for) muscles and tendons,” he said.
Wearing protective equipment is a given in football, but players need to work with coaches to ensure that it fits properly.
Ankle sprains
Basketball brings its own set of injuries, chiefly ankle sprains and knee injuries.
“It’s more of a conditioning issue,” Yost said. You really can’t do a lot to avoid ankle sprains.”
If an ankle sprain occurs, many doctors suggest using the RICE approach — Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation — for treating ankle sprains. Time to heal and exercises to strengthen the joint also are key.
Since a reinjury might be possible, the ankle can be braced and taped, before getting back on the court.
“There’s not a whole lot you can do to avoid injuries in basketball,” Yost added.
Stretching is among the actions that are important with volleyball. Quadriceps muscles should be stretched well.
Ankle problems are common in volleyball, too, Yost said. Braces and high-top supportive shoes can help ankle problems. Wrist and shoulder injuries are common in volleyball, too.
“For that we try rehab to get the muscles stronger in the shoulders,” Yost said.
Patella tendentious, or jumpers’ knee, also can occur during a volleyball match.
Because women have wider hips, it’s especially important for women to strength-train muscles to help avoid knee problems. Good flexibility also will help avoid knee injuries, Yost said.
Wrist injuries and fractures are common among athletes who participate in gymnastics. Growth-plate problems crop up, too.
“Like any sport, if you do too much, you get hurt,” Yost said. “If in pain you need to back off...”
Stretching is key
Cross country sports can cause runner’s knees — a softening or wearing away and cracking of the cartilage under the kneecap, which causes pain and inflammation, according to www.time-to-run.com. Stretching thoroughly and often is key to protecting knee joints.
Runners should gradually increase miles and take one day a week off to rest muscles.
“Shoe wear is important,” Yost said, adding that running shoes should be replaced every 300 miles. Shoes should fit the type of foot.
“You need to be aware of feet,” Yost said. People who have conditions such as flat feet should get shoes especially for that condition.
Soccer is another popular sport this time of year. Anterior cruciate ligament (or ACL) is one of the four major ligaments of the knee and is the most common injury in soccer, Yost said.
Women are prone to ACL injuries because of a different level of stress on a knee’s patella. Stretching and strengthening can help lesson soccer injuries.
“Make sure you’re doing sport-specific training to help avoid injury,” Yost said.
He said legs should be strengthened to play soccer without serious injury. Football requires paying attention to a player’s legs and upper body, and the sport of gymnastics emphasizes flexibility. Wrestling is a combination of strengthening and flexibility.
“There are a lot of shoulder dislocations and knee injuries (in wrestling),” Yost said.
Children can lift weights, but should be taught proper weight-lifting techniques early on.
“It’s pretty important to get proper instruction and (they) need to be supervised,” Yost said.
Children can hurt their backs if they are not using proper weight-lifting techniques. They should use age-specific lifts and start out with a low weight and work their way up. They should be able to do 20 repetitions, three times in a row, before moving up, Yost said.