Monmouth Junction Elementary School - Nurse

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SEASONAL TIPS - April

Sport and Bicycle Safety

The following information regarding sport and bicycle was referenced directly from the Boston Globe Website:
Use of this information is not a specific endorsement of any commercial item specifically by the Monmouth Junction School.

Tips Before Playing

The focus in sports is playing the game, but there are aspects that you should evaluate and prepare for in advance. Both parents and kids should be involved in this process. Taking care of the details outlined below before the season or game will add to enjoyment of the sport and help prevent injuries. Questions for Parents to Ask

Are facilities regularly checked for safety?
Will a first aid kit, ice, and someone certified in first aid/CPR be at all games and practices?
Are fluids available?
Is safety equipment available or required? If so, does it meet national standards? Is it in good condition?
Is there an emergency plan in case of injury?

Tips for Parents and Kids

Be in shape before you show up for the first day of practice or tryouts.
Begin training slowly.
Increase your training gradually, without overexerting yourself. If you measure your training in distance, weight or time, increase your training by no more than 10 percent a week.
Choose safety equipment that fits your body and meets national safety standards.
Do warm-up and cool-down stretches before and after practice each day if they are not included in your athletic program.
Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after participation.
Eat properly. Good nutrition helps fuel your body and prevent injuries.
Get plenty of sleep. Most injuries occur when you are tired.
Take at least one day off a week to let your body recover.
Keep things in perspective.

Remember the most important thing: have fun. Play with safety!

Wear the Gear
Safety equipment may reduce injuries, but protective gear is often not worn due to lack of awareness, inappropriate or unavailable equipment, or lack of money to buy the equipment. As parents, coaches and players, we can become better informed and prepared to have our children participate safely in sports activities.The following list includes gear recommended for youth sports. Use safety equipment at all times, including practices.

Helmets prevent or reduce the severity of brain and head injuries. They have been either mandated or recommended for the following activities: auto and motor sports, equestrian sports, in-line skating, snowmobiling, baseball, football, rugby, softball, bicycling, hockey, skateboarding, wrestling, boxing, lacrosse, skiing. Check the inside of the helmet before you buy it to make sure it is certified by one of the following: National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Snell Memorial Foundation (SNELL), and American National Standards Institute (ANSI). And beginning in February 1999, all bicycle helmets will be required to meet U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) safety standards.
Hockey face protectors prevent tens of thousands of injuries annually.
Wrist guards, knee and elbow pads are prudent for in-line skating and skateboarding. Wearing protective gear for in-line skating is as important as learning the basic skills, such as stopping properly before venturing near traffic or crowded walkways. Kneepads also provide necessary protection for wrestling and hockey and provide shock absorption for volleyball and basketball, especially for female players who are more susceptible to knee injuries.
Shinpads should be worn by soccer players.
Softer baseballs reduce the risk of ball impact injury, particularly to the head.
Safety bases reduce the risk of injury due to sliding. Several types exist, each of which has its own injury prevention mechanism.
Face guards for batting helmets are intended to protect the batter's face from being hit by the ball. There were an estimated 59,400 emergency room-treated facial injuries to children ages 5-14 associated with baseball in 1995.
Chest protectors for batters may protect the heart (and in some designs, the chest wall and other internal organs) from ball impact injury. Ball impact to the chest was the most frequently reported cause of baseball-related death in children.
Mouth guards protect the mouth, teeth, cheeks and tongue and cushion blows that cause concussions or jaw fractures. Three different types exist: stock mouth guard, mouth formed (boil and bite) and a custom mouth guard made by a dentist. The three differ in cost, fit and comfort. The stock mouth guard gives the least amount of protection. Mouth guards are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for all contact and collision sports.
Athletic supporters protect male players participating in contact and collision sports.

While you can't wear these for protection, you should know that moveable soccer goals can hurt or kill. At least 18 children died and 60 children were injured by moveable soccer goals during the past 15 years. Many are unstable and are either unanchored or not anchored properly. These moveable goals pose an unnecessary risk of tipping over to children who climb on goals or nets or hang from the crossbar.

On the Field

Many factors contribute to players' safety once they begin playing, including good sportsmanship, safety equipment, adult supervision, and a plan for first-aid treatment.

Here are tips for safe playing for games and practices:

Follow the rules. They were set to promote safety. Fill out emergency information cards on each player and have them on hand. Ensure there is an immediate "first responder" certified in first aid and CPR and that a first aid kit is on hand. Determine if an emergency plan has been developed and is on hand. Make sure that players are fairly matched according to size and ability, not age. Ask if practices will be suspended in poor weather.
For parents, teachers and coaches: Tell athletes to stop playing if they're in pain - a real indication something is wrong. They should not attempt to "play" through it. Ensure players are evaluated for injuries and informed decisions are made whether they should return, sit out, have immediate medical attention, or be referred for medical attention. And don't have children play if they're overtired - many injuries occur when youngsters are tired.

Sports Injuries

Sports injuries fall into two main categories.

Chronic repetitive or overuse injuries, such as stress fractures, muscle tears or progressive bone deformities.
Acute injuries, occurring as a result of trauma from a major force, such as fractures, dislocations, and more serious injuries like traumatic brain and spinal injuries.

Of all the traumatic brain injuries to children in the U.S., 21 percent result from sports and recreational activities. Although children can suffer injuries in any sport, some have a higher injury rate than others. Each year, more than one-half million children 5-14 experience sports-related injuries during participation in the following six sports: basketball, football, baseball, softball, soccer, and gymnastics. So if your child is playing one of these "high-injury incidence" sports, you need to be extra careful and attentive to safety measures. Age and Gender Sports injuries are three times more common for boys than for girls. Prior to puberty, the risk of sports-related injury between boys and girls is the same. At puberty, boys gain in both strength and size and are injured more often and more seriously than girls. The seriousness of injuries for both sexes increases with age and level of competition. A less-developed child competing against a mature child is at a greater risk for injury. Children should be matched and grouped according to similar skill level, weight and physical maturity, especially for contact sports.

Eye Protection

Injuries to eyes are common. Blunt objects - paint balls, hockey sticks, ski poles - can fit inside the eye socket and cause devastating injuries. Objects larger than the eye can still injure, as they deform on impact. These injuries tend to be less serious and occur in baseball, basketball, racket sports, and soccer. Sunglasses, eye protectors, and prescription lenses should be made of non-breakable, polycarbonate material. Where impact with large objects may cause head and face well as eye injury (e.g. hockey, football, lacrosse), a helmet/face mask system is best. Protection is important for vulnerable eyes (previous surgery, infection, extreme nearsightedness) or for those with only one good eye (vision less than 20/40).

Have a safe and happy season

Mrs. Kramer, RN

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