Youth Sports Safety

Air Date: 3/31/2003

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Just because your sports-loving child isn’t a professional athlete, it doesn't mean that they aren't at risk for getting hurt. By knowing the causes, prevention, and treatment of sports injuries, you can help make athletic participation a positive experience for your child.

According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign:

• More than 30 million kids participate in organized sports in the United States, and still more children participate in recreational activities such as bicycling, in-line skating, riding scooters, and skateboarding
• Approximately 775,000 children are treated in hospital emergency departments for sports-related injuries
• About 25% of these injuries are considered serious

What Causes Sports Injuries Among Children?

Children are more susceptible to sports injuries for a variety of reasons.

• Children are less coordinated and have slower reaction times than adults because they are still growing and developing.
• Children mature at different rates.
• As children grow bigger and stronger, the potential for injury increases, largely because of the amount of force involved.
• Children are less likely to assess the risks while participating in sports and are more prone to injury because of this risk taking.

• Use of proper equipment
  • Proper equipment that is the correct size and carefully fitted for your child
  • Safety gear must be appropriate to the specific sport.
  • Helmets should also be worn when in-line skating or riding scooters and skateboards.
  • Protective eyewear should be worn during racquet sports and for basketball.
  • Protective equipment should be approved by an appropriate certifying organization.
  • Athletic equipment should also be safety-oriented. For example, "breakaway" bases that move when hit by a sliding player reducing the potential for leg injuries when sliding into a base.
  • All equipment should be properly maintained to ensure its effectiveness
• Maintenance and appropriateness of playing surfaces
  • Check that playing fields are not full of holes and ruts, possibly causing the child to fall.
  • Basketball courts and running tracks should not be concrete.
• Adequate adult supervision and commitment to safety
  • Qualified adults should supervise any team sport or activity that your child participates in.
  • Select leagues and teams that have the same commitment to safety and injury prevention that you do.
  • The team coach should have training in first aid and CPR
  • The coach's philosophy should promote players' well-being.
  • Be sure that the coach enforces playing rules and requires that safety equipment be used at all times.
  • Make sure that children are matched for sports according to their skill level, size, and physical and emotional maturity.
• Proper preparation of child athletes
  • Make sure the child knows how to play the sport before putting him out on the field.
  • Your child should be adequately prepared with warm-ups and training sessions before practices as well as before games.
  • Your child should drink plenty of fluids and be allowed to rest during practices and games.

Basic First Aid for Sports

Exercise is an important part of keeping healthy, but it can also lead to injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to life-threatening circumstances.

To help avoid injury, follow these simple tips:

• Get your muscles ready with stretching exercises to warm up before exercising and to cool down after.
• Use good quality, safe sports equipment; worn out or broken equipment may not be reliable.
• Wear comfortable, suitable athletic shoes - not sandals, platform shoes or worn-out athletic shoes.
• Wear safety gear as needed for the particular activity, such as gloves, helmets, knee pads, shin guards or goggles.
• Learn basic first aid procedures or have your first aid manual available.
• Locate the nearest phone. Know how to call 9-1-1 in emergencies

If there is an accident or injury, follow these steps to help the injured:

• GET HELP Stay calm and immediately get an adult to help. If someone is very badly hurt and there are no adults around, call 9-1-1
• DO WHAT YOU CAN Do not move the injured person. Stay there until help arrives, but never move them or touch them where they are hurt.

First Aid Kits

REMSA (Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority) is a strong supporter of youth organizations. One of the ways REMSA gives back to the community and helps keep children safe is through the donation of first aid kits to the Little League of Washoe County.

• Since 1998, REMSA has been providing first aid kits to the Little League teams in Washoe County.
• REMSA delivered 50 kits in 1998 to area teams and now delivers 500 to ten area Little League teams.
• REMSA coordinates all first aid kit requests and deliveries with the safety officer of each league.
• REMSA donates approximately $6,000 of materials every year for the first aid kits.
• The first aid kits enable the safety officers to provide immediate care to the injured youths prior to REMSA arriving on the scene.
• REMSA has provided basic first aid tips to all Little Leagues Teams of Washoe County upon request since 1998.

Types of Injuries Each First Aid Kit Assists With:

• Scrapes from sliding to base or home plate
• Cleaning and bandaging cuts
• Sprained ankles, wrists and/or fingers

Each kit contains:

4 - Ziploc Baggies (for ice packs)
2 - Ace Wraps
2 - Triangular Bandages
2 - Rolls of 1” Tape
20 - Regular Band-Aids
12 - Large Band-Aids
10 - Antibiotic Ointment Packets
12 - Antiseptic Towelettes (for cleaning hands and wiping off wounds)
10 - 4 X 4 Pads (gauze)

Additional Resources

National SAFE KIDS Campaign

American College of Sports Medicine

National Youth Sports Safety Foundation

National Center for Sports Safety

Institute for Preventative Sports Medicine

450 Edison Way Reno, Nevada 89502 (775)858-5700 Fax (775)858-5720