In
today's age of health and fitness, more and more kids are
involved in sporting activities. Although being part of
a football, soccer or Little League team is an important
rite of passage for many kids, parents and their children
could be overlooking the importance of proper nutrition
and body conditioning needed for preventing injuries on
and off the playing field.
The majority, if not all, sports are good, provided that
the child prepares appropriately," says the president
of the American Chiropractic Association's Council on Sports
Injuries and Physical Fitness. "Without proper preparation,
playing any sport can turn into a bad experience. There
are structural and physical developmental issues that need
to be taken into consideration before children undertake
certain sports."
Highly competitive sports such as football, gymnastics
and wrestling follow rigorous training schedules that can
be potentially dangerous to an adolescent or teenager.
The best advice for parents who have young athletes in
the family is to help them prepare their bodies and to learn
to protect themselves from sports-related injuries before
they happen.
Proper warm up, stretching and weight-lifting exercises
are essential for kids involved in sports, but many kids
learn improper stretching or weight-lifting techniques,
making them more susceptible to injury. Parents need to
work with their kids and make sure they receive the proper
sports training.
Young athletes should begin with a slow jog to warm up
the legs and arms and stretch all the major muscle groups.
Kids involved in football, baseball, gymnastics and swimming
should develop a routine that includes strengthening exercises
for the abdomen, the low-back muscles, arms and shoulders.
Proper nutrition and hydration are also extremely vital.
A student athlete may need to drink eight to ten 8-ounce
glasses of water for proper absorption. Breakfast should
be the most important meal of the day. Also, eating a healthy
meal before and after practice or a game allows for proper
replenishment and refuels the body.
Young athletes today often think they are invincible. The
following tips can help ensure your child does not miss
a step when it comes to proper fitness, stretching, training
and rest that the body needs to engage in sporting activities.
Encourage your child to:
-
Wear the proper equipment. Certain
contact sports, such as football and hockey, can be dangerous
if the equipment is not properly fitted. Make sure all
equipment, including helmets, pads, and shoes, fit your
child or adolescent. Talk to your child's coach or trainer
if the equipment is damaged.
-
Eat healthy meals. Make sure your
young athlete is eating a well-balanced diet and does
not skip meals. Avoid high-fat foods, such as candy bars
and fast food. At home, provide fruit rather than cookies,
and vegetables rather than potato chips.
-
Maintain a healthy weight. Certain
sports, such as gymnastics, wrestling and figure skating,
require your young athlete to follow strict dietary rules.
Be sure your child does not feel pressured into being
too thin and that he/she understands proper nutrition
and caloric intake is needed for optimal performance and
endurance.
-
Drink water. Hydration is a key element
to optimal fitness. Teenage athletes should drink at least
eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Younger athletes
should drink five to eight 8-ounce glasses of water.
-
Drink milk. Make sure your child has
enough calcium included in his/her diet. ACA recommends
1 percent or skim milk for children over 2 years old rather
than whole milk because of its high fat content. The calcium
in milk is essential for healthy bones and reduces the
risk of joint-and muscle- related injuries.
-
Avoid sugar-loaded, caffeinated and
carbonated drinks. Sports drinks are a good source of
replenishment for those kids engaged in long-duration
sports, such as track and field.
-
Follow a warm-up routine. Be sure
your child or his/her coach includes a warm-up and stretching
session before every practice, game or meet. A slow jog,
jumping rope and/or lifting small weights reduces the
risk of torn or ripped muscles. Flexibility becomes a
preventive key when pushing to score that extra goal or
make that critical play.
-
Take vitamins daily. A multi-vitamin
and Vitamin C are good choices for the young athlete.
Vitamin B and amino acids may help reduce the pain from
contact sports. Thiamine can help promote healing. Also
consider Vitamin A to strengthen scar tissue.
-
Avoid trendy supplements. Kids under
the age of 18 should avoid the use of performance-enhanced
supplements, such as creatine. Instead, they should ask
their coach or trainer to include weekly weight-training
and body-conditioning sessions in their workout.
-
Get plenty of rest. Eight hours of
sleep is ideal for the young athlete. Lack of sleep and
rest can catch up with the athlete and decrease performance.
Sluggishness, irritability and loss of interest could
indicate that your child is fatigued.
Chiropractic Care Can Help
As a Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Pazdel is trained to treat
the entire neuromusculoskeletal system and can provide advice
on sports training, nutrition and injury prevention to young
athletes.
