Sports injuries in kids

Seeing your little one get hurt can be heartbreaking. Understanding the nature of common injuries, and what you can do, means you’ll be able to get your child back to their best.

Sports are a huge part of many childhoods. Kids often play a variety of sports every week and, due to their youthful exuberance, it’s not unusual for them to pick up scrapes, knocks and bruises from time to time. For many, this is simply part and parcel of playing sports and the majority of minor injuries can be taken care of with some basic first aid methods. However, sometimes children pick up more serious injuries.

Common types

Seeking professional medical attention is always a good idea if you’re concerned that your little athlete has gotten hurt. With that being said, it’s also worthwhile having an awareness of the types of injuries that kids are most likely to pick up, so that you can be prepared.

Strains

Strains are injuries that affect muscles and tendons. A muscle strain (also called a pulled muscle) can be quite painful, leading to limited movement, weakness and bruising or discoloration. Tendons are cords of strong, flexible tissue that connect muscle to bone. Tendon strains often result in inflammation and discomfort, along with reduced flexibility.

Sprains

Sprains occur when ligaments are overstretched or, in very serious injuries, torn. Ligaments are similar to tendons except that they connect bone to bone. Children often roll their ankles and it’s not unusual for this to result in an ankle sprain. Pain and stiffness in the affected area are the primary symptoms of a ligament sprain.

Fractures

Bone breaks or fractures are many parents’ worst fear for their sporty son or daughter. They can be very painful and have quite a long recovery time. Regardless of the severity of the fracture, it’s absolutely necessary to seek professional help. Even if you’re not certain whether or not your little one has fractured a bone, getting an x-ray will remove any doubt. Better safe than sorry!

Growth plate injuries

One of the trickiest aspects of when your child picks up an injury is that they can have an impact on their physical growth. Growth plate injuries are an example of this. The growth plate is the area near the end of longer bones in kids’ bodies where tissue grows, and these are what enable your little one’s bones to develop to full size. Treatment is often similar to that of a fracture and, in most cases, full recovery is relatively straightforward.

Exhaustion

Physical, tangible injuries are often the main concerns of parents but exhaustion is something that should definitely be considered. With packed schedules, lots of extracurriculars and multiple sports being juggled by children, reaching a point of exhaustion is a real possibility. Particularly in warmer weather, we need to make sure that our kids are well hydrated and getting plenty of rest, so that they can keep enjoying their active lifestyle!

Additional causes

Most injuries are the result of freak accidents or collisions during a game or at practice. Aside from that, there are a couple of big contributors that can probably be avoided once you’re aware of them.

Overtraining

Overtraining is exactly what it sounds like. Too much activity means that there isn’t enough time to recover. Over time, tiredness accumulates and can lead to burnout. Lots of children are super enthusiastic about the sport that they play and they simply can’t get enough. Even after a game, they may want to spend time running around with friends or visiting the playground. Unfortunately, sometimes you’ll have to step in and slow your little one down. Encourage them to take the evening off, and maybe curl up as a family and watch a movie to get some much needed rest and relaxation.

Repetition

If your child is especially committed to their sport, you may find that they regularly put in time practising certain skills. Commendable though it is, if overdone it can present an issue in the form of repetitive strain injury. There’s nothing wrong with your little one showing this level of commitment, just make sure that they’re warming up properly, stretching after and getting plenty of rest afterwards.

Emotional impact

Focusing on the physical effects of your child’s injury is naturally the first port of call. Once you feel they’re en route to recovery through proper treatment, make sure to check in with your little one’s emotional state. Suffering an injury can be a scary experience, and it may even discourage kids from playing sports or trying new things. For more serious injuries, they may be daunted by the prospect of being laid up for a longer period of time. Providing them with emotional support by having regular, open conversations about how they feel can mean that they don’t have to suppress any of the negative thoughts that may be coming up for them.

Treatment 

A first-aid kit is a must for all households, and sports injuries are a great example of why. Small cuts can be treated at home, and similarly, an ice-pack can help tackle minor inflammation. Generally, it’s advisable to consult with a medical professional if your child has sustained an injury. Getting them checked over will put your mind at ease and provide you with effective treatment plans and realistic timelines for recovery. Before long, your little athlete will be back playing their sport and the injury will be a distant memory.

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