I recently read a very informative article by Claudia Arnig, D.C. called Sports-Related Injuries in Children: What Parents Need to Know. In this article Dr. Arnig gave some very interesting numbers that I believe all parents should know. It is estimated that 3.5 million children under the age of 14 receive some form of medical treatment for sports injuries each year. Also, the Institute for Preventative Sports Medicine estimates that each year close to 212 million school days are missed by students who have sustained a musculoskeletal injury vastly attributed to sports-related incidents.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 300, 000 children and adolescents suffer from sports-related concussions each year. Concussion symptoms range from memory loss, chronic headaches, difficulty with concentrations to depression. These symptoms can manifest for months, even years following a severe concussion. Some parents even reported abrupt personality changes following a serious sports-related head injury.

Repetitive stress injuries to children’s developing spine and extremities can also develop in children who play sports that require the child to move one arm or leg repetitively over long periods of time like baseball, golf, and tennis for example. If their sport leans toward asymmetrical movements, children should be taught how to properly warm up and cool down through symmetrical activities to balance the body and minimize repetitive strain injuries.

Childen should also be taught the concept of pain and its importance as a warning signal from the body that something is wrong and needs to be checked out. Taking pain medication or OTC pain relievers will simply mask the problem and act as a band aid instead of getting to the root cause of the problem.

Children benefit greatly from regular spinal and extremity check-ups with their chiropractor. Rather than waiting for an injury to occur, chiropractic care can help children practice practical prevention strategies and develop better overall stability.

ref: Dynamic Chiropractic, August 26, 2009

1. Stretch before and after you do any strengthening exercises. Here are some recommended stretches:

• Side bends work the muscles on the sides of your back and hips
• Hip rotations stretch several muscles in your hip, pelvis and thigh region
• The hamstring stretch works the large muscles at the back of your thighs
• Back extension helps the muscles that bend your spine backward, while back rotation stretches the muscles that rotate your spine and shoulder muscles
• The shoulder stretch works shoulders and upper arms

2. Muscle-strengthening exercises can make your body stronger and more flexible

• Wrist strength is very important during the impact phase of a golf game
• Strength in rotating the upper arms in either direction is important throughout the golf swing
• To improve form and strength in your golf swing, practice good posture by concentrating on using your abdominal and back muscles.
• Rowing strengthens the muscles of your upper back and shoulders.
• Pull-downs also work the shoulder and upper-back muscles.

3. When taking clubs out of your vehicle, bend your knees, slightly curve your spine, and gently lift the golf bag out of the vehicle.

4. ‘The clubs before the cart’ – Research shows that after one season of weekly golf games that involved walking the golf course, males over fifty significantly decreased their cholesterol count. [Source: October 1990 issue of The Physician and Sportsmedicine]

5. Warm up for your first swing. Make sure you stretch.

6. Bend your knees and use a golf club for support before stooping for the ball, or when preparing to tee off.

7. Ensure that you use correct posture and spinal angles when driving and putting.

8. Stretch to cool down after your game.

For more information, consult with your family chiropractor. www.bcchiro.com