Sporting Injuries in Children, Teens & Adolescents

Did you know that almost 40% of all children, teenager and adolescent injuries are sports-related? Injuries in the young athlete are often trivialised. They are usually asked or encouraged to “toughen up and play through the pain.” This approach is not in the young athlete’s best interest for the following reasons:

It often leads to delayed healing and return to sports.
It can turn an easily treatable injury into one that becomes difficult to treat.
In some cases, it can result in a permanent injury that precludes sports participation.

Factors that will affect the likelihood of a child sustaining an injury are:

Physical makeup of the child. The natural strength of our ligaments and soft tissues varies from person to person. Other factors such as body weight, posture and even hormonal factors can have an influence.
In contact sports, the physical maturity of the child compared to their opponents.
Degree of supervision.
Use of protective equipment.
The amount of adequate warm-up.
The amount of sport played.

If your child has an injury then we will help you to overcome that injury. However, we acknowledge that it is far better to prevent an injury from occurring in the first place. Your Osteopath at West Perth Osteopathy will work with you to achieve the following:

To manage the acute injury by reducing pain and inflammation
To advise you on exercises to do at home to encourage quicker recovery. You will also be advised on what to avoid during training and when is the best time for you to return to your sport.
To give you a detailed postural assessment. This will include analysis of any muscle imbalances that you may be presenting with – i.e. tight / shortened muscles compared to stretched weak ones.
To advise you of a training programme that you will need to take back to your club/coach/trainer to continue with after discharge. This will correct any imbalances of the muscles and will help you to achieve a better result.

S T R E T C H OF THE MONTH

Sitting Hamstring Stretch

Sit on the floor with the stretching leg extended in front of you, keeping your toes pointed away from your face
Bend the opposite leg and place the sole of the foot near your inner thigh
Keeping your back straight, hinge forward at the hips to bring your chest towards your knee
Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side

TOWARDS WELLNESS

Are you shy?

Are you shy or introverted? Do you want to change? Social Wellness is necessary for your well-being and longevity, and an integral part of any wellness program. However, if you are shy or introverted, being “social” may not always come easily.

Start today by deciding one simple thing you could do today to improve your social health, whether it’s to;

Make lunch plans with a friend
Join a club or organization that interests you
Participate in a community volunteer program

Remember, you don’t need to make drastic changes; you simply need to make progress.

Posted in Client Authored, Health Tips