Family Doctor 2007 - (Page 41) feeling great SPORTS INJURIES Staying physically fit and exercising sensibly can prevent sports injuries. Here’s the playbook on a safe, winning season! By Mark Moran, M.P.H. It’s important to warm up before any physical activity. Hitting a home run I t’s spring and time for the first 18 holes of the year. It’s summer, and softball is calling. You’ve got the urge to play touch football while the turkey cooks on Thanksgiving. Or it’s snowing, and But what happens if you’ve been a couch potato lately? Your burst of activity could land you in the emergency room the first time you take to the field. Men are at greater risk than women for injury, but anyone who’s new to a sport, returning to physical activity after a lengthy break or just unprepared is at risk. Injuries can occur to many parts — bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments or tendons — of the musculoskeletal system. In addition to adult weekend warriors, children and teens who’ve spent the off-season inactive are also prone to sports- and exercise-related injuries. Each year, more than 3.5 million of these types of injuries in children under age 15 are treated in doctors’ offices, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers and hospital emergency rooms, according to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Many of these injuries could be avoided by following a few simple rules. the slopes beckon. The basics, please Whatever your age, you can prevent injuries by staying physically fit, exercising regularly and abiding by the rules of the game. To play a sport, regardless of the season, you and your children should: ● Be in proper physical condition. ● Wear appropriate protective gear (e.g., shin guards for soccer, a hard-shell helmet for batting in baseball, and a helmet and body padding for ice hockey or football). ● Know how to use athletic equipment (e.g., correctly adjust snow ski bindings). familydoctor 2007 41
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