Sports
We all want our kids to be active. It's good for their bodies, it's good for their brains, and it's a great way to burn off energy on a Sunday afternoon so there's no fighting bedtime and you get a couple of hours to yourself in the evening to prepare for the week.
But the more sports your child takes part in, the more injuries they're going to sustain. It's inevitable, rolling your ankle is a rite of passage for any aspiring athlete, but there are plenty of things you can do to minimise the damage they do to themselves.
Protective Gear
I appreciate that safety gear is not only a faff to put on and wear, but it is deeply uncool. Trying to convince a teenager to wear a helmet is like trying to convince a cat to hop in the shower. But getting the right protective gear for the right sport is the best way to keep your child as safe as possible. Some federations, associations, or other sport governing bodies will have strict rules about protective gear, but others may just have recommendations, or advice that is not mandatory.
Even if your kid isn't taking part in organised or club team sports, like if they're just out playing with their friends in the park, you should make sure the protection is adequate for the level of play. I'm not saying they need gumshields and helmets to go kick a ball about in the park, but use your judgement (I trust you) and make sure they use protective gear that is appropriate to the sport or activity that they're doing.
Pads
Shin pads are recommended for football and field hockey. Make sure they actually fit, aren't too big or too tight, and don't forget that they get really gross and sweaty, so try to wash them every now and then.
In cricket, pads are mandatory for batters and wicketkeepers, and hockey goalies (both field and ice) will have their own assortment of thick padding to minimise injury and bruising.
If you're out and about doing things like skating, skateboarding, biking, or any other activity where falling is very likely, knee, elbow, and wrist pads can be a life saver (or at least, a Friday night waiting in the Emergency Department for an x-ray saver). It's not cool to where protective gear, but it's even not cooler to be stuck inside all summer because you smashed up your knee and can't go anywhere without crutches.
Body protectors are strongly recommended for horse riding, and are mandatory in some cases. The help protect the spine, ribs, and internal organs from falls or kicks.
Gumshields
Most contact sports recommend using gum guards, but your school or sports club will make sure you know what is expected. Keep in mind that it's not just other bodies that can cause injury, but things like rugby balls and hockey sticks too, so even if your child isn't enrolled in full contact sports, you should always listen to the recommendations, even where protective equipment is not mandatory.
The best gumshields are fitted by dentists, but a good alternative are the ones that you can fit at home. You should never use 'hand me down' gumshields (even if you re-set them to the second child's mouth), especially if it's been used for a significant period of time. Some 'boil and set' gumshields can be re-set multiple times, but not all of them, and if the gumshield is overmanipulated it can lead to a poor fit.
Gumshields should be snug and stay attached to the top teeth even when the mouth is open. If they are loose, too tight, pinch the gums, or feel uncomfortable you should double check the fit.
Keep in mind that gumshields only work if they are WORN, so make sure your kid doesn't leave it at home.
Headgear
Helmets are essential for any sport or activity where falling is likely. Head injuries are never insignificant, but head injuries in children can have long lasting impacts - sometimes life changing.
Cycling, skating, rock climbing, skiing... These are the ones that come to mind, but do your research when you're sending your child out to do some exercise, and make sure you know the sport specific recommendations, and make sure you stick to what the experts say.
Other sports like hockey, cricket and baseball also require helmets or headgear for certain (or all) positions, as well as contact or semi contact sports like martial arts and boxing. Helmets are also mandatory in almost all horse riding settings.
All helmets and headgear should be properly fitted and securely fastened.
Boxes
It's always hilarious when someone takes a cricket ball to the groin. For everyone except the person rolling on the floor in pain.
Any sports that advise the use of cups, boxes, or groin guards should be followed. There is no excuse to put your kid through that kind of pain and humiliation.
Food and Drink
Eating and drinking right is super important around sports, not just because it's hard to perform your best when you're thirsty and have no energy, but also because eating and drinking well are habits that are formed in childhood but carry on through the rest of our lives
Hydration
Adults need 2 to 3 litres of water a day, you knew that already, but just because they're smaller doesn't mean that kids need way less. Even as young as 1 to 3 year olds need around 1.3 litres (which is 4-5 cups per day). and by the time your kid reaches 9 years old, they should be drinking roughly 2 litres a day.
If your child is exercising or just particularly active, you should increase their water in take by an extra 500ml to 1 litre per day, which should be drunk in the hour before, during, and the hour after they're exercising.
Being dehydrated can feel miserable, and your child might not know why they feel rubbish, but they'll probably be grumpy and irritable (and that makes them really annoying too!) and they can actually get really sick if they're too dehydrated for too long.
Here are some of the things to look out for:
Dry lips or mouth
Headache
Dizziness
Tiredness or Irritability
Dark urine
Nausea or cramps
Constipation
Stinky breath
It's not just the effects of being dehydrated that are the problem - you can rehydrate with no long term effects pretty easily - but being dehydrated actually makes kids less smart. Not their reactions are slower, thinking becomes harder, and they can seem dopey or not really very clued in to what's going on around them...
And what happens when dopey kids with slow reactions go outside and run around? That's right, they fall over things ALL THE TIME, which means more chances for you to end up in the emergency department because your 11 year old fell over a tree stump, impaled his hand on a branch, and shattered his elbow. Fun times...
Nutrition
We all know that you shouldn't eat just before you go swimming, because you might end up vomiting in the water. When I was a kid, my mum would make us sit for an excruciating hour on the beach after lunch before we could get back into the sea, and even now as an adult I try not to eat right before a training session.
If your kid has to have a full meal before exercising, try to give it 2-3 hours beforehand. Include carbs and protein to give lasting energy and avoid mid session fatigue.
A little snack 30-60 minutes before activity can boost energy levels and increase performance. This should be something easy to digest, which means simple carbohydrates that are low in fat and fibre. Things like bananas, a single serving yoghurt, oat bars, or jam sandwiches.
Avoid eating within 30 minutes of exercise as it can cause stomach cramps, nausea, side stitches, and reduce their athletic performance. Also, it's very common to need to go to the bathroom within 15-20 minutes of eating (something in, something out...) so you don't want your kid to be caught short just as thee get started.
It's also worth keeping in mind that long term nutrition - what your child eats on a day to day basis - can impact their athletic performance. Deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D can lower bone density and make them more likely to break or fracture.
Not eating enough carbohydrates means that muscles don't have enough fuel and leads to fatigue and a higher risk of strains or tears.
Without enough protein, the body can't repair muscles after training, and poor recovery increases overuse injuries like tendonitis and muscle strains.
Low blood sugar (which is caused by skipping meals, or from the sugar crash after having something sugary and delicious like cakes and biscuits) causes brain fog and slows reflexes, which means they're more likely to miss a tackle, or get hit in the face by a ball because they didn't react quickly enough to catch it.
The good news is that as long as you're feeding you child generally balanced and overall healthy meals, you don't need to worry about doing anything else specific for them, other than making sure they have some good snacks .
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