Your Kids and Summer Sports Camp: Keeping Young Athletes Healthy
Summer is an exciting time for children. Whether they are playing soccer, football, baseball, tennis, basketball, swimming or attending a multi-sports camp, staying active helps build strength, confidence, coordination and healthy social habits all of which will serve them well into their senior years. Building those lifelong healthy habits should always start early on.
However, the sudden increase in physical activity can also place added stress on growing bodies. Long days of running, jumping, throwing and repetitive movements can lead to things such as muscle stiffness, joint stiffness, minor sprains and strains, and spinal subluxations if kids are not properly prepared.
Warm up First
Encourage your child to spend 5-10 minutes warming up before any activity, practice or game. If the coach or camp counsellor do not incorporate a warm-up procedure, as a canfitpro certified Children’s Fitness Coach, I can assist you with this as they may be sport-specific. Light jogging and dynamic stretching help prepare the muscles, spinal and skeletal joints for activity.
Stay Hydrated
Kids can become dehydrated quickly on hot, active summer days. Drinking fresh water before, during and after activity helps to maintain energy levels and support recovery. A thermos of fresh water with a few ice cubes, slices of citrus (orange, lemon, lime), a couple of slices of cucumber and a pinch of rock salt — even better! Home-made electrolytes are far safer. A banana in their lunch bag along with a few other pieces of fruit is a must.
Use Proper Equipment
Protective equipment and sport-specific gear will help reduce unnecessary stress on the body and prevent injury. Shoes especially! Too many times I see kids wearing shoes that are too small or too big, crushing down the back of the shoe by standing on the heel, not properly doing up the laces etc. This will only lead to sprains and strains of the ankles and/or knees. Croc-type shoes or sandals do not qualify as athletic footwear.
Take Rest Days
Recovery is just as important as exercise. Adequate rest allows growing muscles and joints to recover and helps reduce the risk of overuse injuries. If the kids are in camp Mon to Fri, take the weekend off for rest and repair.
Watch for Changes
Persistent pain, limping, or discomfort that doesn’t improve with rest should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare practitioner. Pain should not be ignored. Pain should not be considered a normal part of sports. In my view, pain should only be treated with medication on occasion and/or extreme circumstances. This can become a bad habit with far-reaching consequences.
How does Chiropractic Care Help?
Chiropractic care focuses on maintaining healthy movement of the spine, spinal joints and all the skeletal joints (shoulders, wrists, hips, knees, ankles etc.). For active children, regular check-ups will help identify areas of restricted movement, stuck vertebrae (subluxations), support good posture, and encourage healthy biomechanics as they participate in sports and recreational activities. These are all critical as young spines grow and mature. I have seen countless adult problems that started in childhood. Childhood is when we suffer some of our biggest falls, bumps and bruises. Remember that ‘as the twig is bent, so grows the tree.’
Concussions
Concussions can arise from any bump on the head; falls, collisions with other heads, whiplash-type neck injuries, heading a soccer ball and falls on the chin for example. If your child has suffered any type of head trauma, keep an eye out for the following signs and symptoms:
- Headaches (persistent)
- Dizziness, loss of balance
- Confusion, difficulty concentrating
- Nausea, vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and noise
If you recognize any of these, seek attention with a qualified health care provider as soon as you can. Another thing to keep in mind is that people who have suffered a concussion are 3.7 times more likely to suffer a non-contact ACL injury of the knee. This is because when you have any type of brain injury, the body’s sensory system can have difficulty assessing its true position in space. ACL injuries can be devastating to the young athlete; especially those seeking a scholarship.
Enjoy an Active Summer!
Combined with proper nutrition, hydration, adequate sleep, and regular exercise, chiropractic care meshes perfectly well with an overall healthy lifestyle. Summer sports camps not only create lasting memories, they teach valuable life skills and provide an excellent opportunity to start to build healthy habits that can impact an entire lifetime.