Kids' Sports Injuries: 1 in 10 Get Hurt

Parents and pediatricians are seeing a rise in sports-related injuries in children. This is not just the high school football player, but kids as young as 7 and 8 who get hurt. There are some new laws in some states to address kids' sports injuries from the playing field, but even better there are things parents and coaches can do to keep players from being injured. If your child is hurt and you even have to consider a personal injury lawsuit, in many ways, it is too late.

To take a proactive approach to kids' sports injuries, proper training, equipment, strength and prevention is key, reports CBS News. Before your child even gets on the field or court, not only training and equipment, but even the right amount of rest can prevent what are known as overuse injuries. Overuse injuries include tennis elbow, Little League elbow, and shin splints, and can be prevented. If your child feels pain while playing, you might think it character-building to "tough it out." But playing through pain for children is dangerous to the body and in some situations, against the law. Children should get off the field immediately for evaluation.

FindLaw's Injured has written about the consequences of concussions in children and how the law has adapted to help prevent these injuries. Medicine is still coming to understand the long-term effects of concussions on young brains, so erring on the side of caution might be best until the long-term consequences are better understood. The best practices include taking players out of the game immediately if a head injury, even a minor one, occurs. Symptoms of a concussion include everything from dizziness and nausea to sensitivity to light and a slowness to answer questions. Children should never return to play without an OK from a doctor.

Good training not only helps prevent kids' sports injuries, but can help strengthen children overall. MSNBC reports that experts recommend kids start early, using simple exercises and workouts designed to strengthen young bodies. Prevention and attention will help avoid injuries, a missed season and with any luck, a lawsuit.

Related Resources:

• 1 in 10 Child Athletes Injured, Experts Say (Bloomberg BusinessWeek)
• Exercises Such as Strength Training Benefit Kids and Teens (AllVoices.com)
• Study: Child Sports Concussion Rates Rising (FindLaw's Injured)