Back to School Sports Injuries & Prevention

It is that time of year again! Kids are heading back to school and school sports will inevitably begin. Unfortunately, that means sport-related injuries also increase across our schools. In this blog, we break down common things to know of injuries and some forms of prevention.

Back to School Sports Injuries – What you should know

In therapy, we like to break injuries down into three categories in order to guide treatment.

Acute injuries: Usually the result of a single traumatic event within the last five days.

Examples:

• Fractures
• Sprains
• Dislocations
• Muscle strains

Overuse injuries: injuries that are subtle and occur over time, making them a little more difficult to diagnose and treat.

Examples:

• swimmers shoulder
• tennis elbow
• shin splints
• tendonitis

Chronic injuries: Usually lasting at least three months or more

Examples:

• overuse injuries that go untreated can turn into chronic injuries.

Back to School Sports Injury – Causes & Prevention

Overuse/overtraining injuries and burnout are a major problem for adolescent athletes. 50% of all sports injuries to student athletes are a result of overuse. Overuse injuries can occur when student athletes compete year-round with no offseason or have insufficient recovery time between practices and games. Common Causes of these injuries include improper training or technique, incorrect equipment, biomechanical issues of the athlete or a catastrophic event on or off the field.

How can you prevent injuries in school sports?

• watch for typical signs of burnout including pain during & after activity, lack of enthusiasm for practices or games, grades dropping, and general fatigue.
• allow enough time for proper warm-up and cool down routines
• rest 1-2 days per week or encourage other activities
• docus on strength, conditioning or cross training during the offseason.

Is your child experiencing pain or an injury related to school sports? The team at Desert Hand & Physical Therapy is available to aid in all upper extremity issues! With a certified hand therapist at each of our 10 clinic locations, we are your upper extremity therapy experts. The Desert Hand & Physical Therapy team can’t wait to help your child get back on the field or court! Click here to book your appointment now.