Fall sports are in full swing, and whether your child is in grade school or college, it’s important to keep safety in mind as they continue with game season. To help, the orthopaedic surgeons at the AAOS offer the following safety tips.
- Always get a pre-participation sports physical examination to ensure you’re in proper physical condition to play a sport.
- Know and abide by the rules of a sport.
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Wear appropriate protective gear (for example, a hard-shell helmet and padding for football, shin guards for soccer).
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Know how to correctly use athletic equipment.
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Always warm up before playing.
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Avoid playing when very tired or in pain.
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Avoid overuse injuries by taking regular breaks and playing other sports. The signs of an overuse injury can be pain that cannot be tied to an acute injury and increases with activity, swelling, changes in form or technique and decreased interest in practice.
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Wear shoes that provide strong ankle and arch support.
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Athletes playing on hard surfaces should work on ankle strengthening and proprioception exercises with a band to avoid ankle sprains.
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Increase running mileage gradually. Encourage run-walk intervals for less conditioned runners.
Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
