As a parent of a student-athlete, there is nothing more stressful than watching your student be injured, especially in an area that will impact their ability to play.
As the season begins, it is critical to help prevent sports-related injuries. Here are some tips to help keep your student safe on the field:
- Wear Proper Equipment
Though well intentioned, many parents feel they can save money by not buying expensive equipment for sporting events. However, proper equipment can help reduce the injury rate of student-athletes at a high rate.
When purchasing sports gear from any site online, make sure that you read product reviews thoroughly to ensure that it is up to the task.
- Warm up Properly
Individuals need to warm up before playing sports or exercising in general. By warming up the muscles, you reduce the risk of strains and pulls on muscles while also increasing the range of motion for joints. A warm-up should consist of light movement that gradually increases to moderate intensity before any more vigorous activities.
- Warm Down Properly
It is just as important to make sure that you cool down properly afterward as it is to warm up. Once again, cooling down decreases the risk of injury by not allowing your muscles and joints to become accustomed to the same movements during exercise.
- Stretch Properly
It cannot be stressed enough: stretch before and after playing sports and during practice time. Stretching gives you a more flexible body that is less likely to get hurt when participating in sports activities.
- Start Gradually
If your child is a beginner in the sport they are playing, make sure to start slowly with small training sessions and work your way up. This again helps prevent injuries by allowing the body time to adjust to training stressors.
- Stay Hydrated
This should go without saying, but student-athletes must keep themselves hydrated. Not only does this help prevent heatstroke, but it also keeps the body operating at optimal levels to prevent injury.
If you follow these tips and talk with your child’s coach about how they can implement them on a team level, you can help to drastically reduce sports injuries in student-athletes.