Don’t Let Injuries Bench Your Athlete This Fall

How to Prevent Sports Injuries

Fall is sports season in New England, and if you have school-aged kids, there’s a good chance your next 12 Saturdays are packed with games, practices and booster events.

It’s a busy time of year, but nothing derails the excitement quite like your athlete spending the season on the sideline nursing an injury.

Let’s take a look at how you can prevent some of the most common sports injuries.

1. Muscle Strains and Sprains

Sprains and strains are typical injuries this time of year, with ankle sprains being among the most common. Athletes playing a sport that requires running or quick changes of direction, like basketball, football and soccer, are especially at risk for these types of injuries.

Prevention Strategy

You can help prevent strains and sprains by encouraging your athletes to warm up and cool down before and after exercise.

Stretching and strengthening exercises (focusing on the muscles surrounding potential problem areas, such as the hamstrings and quads to protect the knees and the calves for the ankles) can also improve balance and stability, which reduces the likelihood of an injury.

When it comes to ankle sprains, it’s important to ensure your athlete wears shoes that are well-fitting and appropriate for the specific activity. Taping their ankles before physical activity can create even more support.

2. Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

Concussions and other TBIs are a pressing concern in youth sports, and for good reason. In 2022, more than two million kids (adolescents and teens) under 17 had been diagnosed with a concussion, and even minor blows to the head could lead to cognitive and behavioral issues down the road.

Prevention Strategy

When playing high-contact sports like football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer or wrestling, athletes should make sure to wear (and know how to use) appropriate head-protection equipment.

It’s important your athlete also practices good technique to avoid direct head-to-head contact (like tackling in football or heading in soccer).

If your athlete notices any concerning head symptoms, such as dizziness, light sensitivity or persistent headaches, they should stop physical activity and seek medical attention.

3. Overuse Injuries

Many athletes pack their fall, winter, spring and even summer schedules with sports. By the time fall rolls around, your athlete may have a case of tendonitis, shin splints or other overuse injuries. These are more common in single-sport athletes.

Prevention Strategy

To prevent overuse injuries, athletes should incorporate gentle stretching and low-intensity movement (like walking) before and after every workout to gradually transition into and out of physical activity. Cross-training is another way to avoid overuse injuries.

Most important, athletes need to make sure they’re getting enough rest. They should avoid strenuous activity for at least one to two days every week (while also getting plenty of water and electrolytes on those rest days). Light activity can aid in the recovery process, but make sure to monitor your athlete’s situation to know how best to promote safe exercise.

And as soon as athletes notice pain in their joints or muscles, they should take a break and rest up.