Banner Well being’s sports activities drugs consultants emphasize the necessity for warning as youth athletes return to sports activities and outdoors recreation, since diminished bodily exercise over the previous a number of weeks may result in a better threat of accidents and warmth sickness.
“Youngsters returning to sports activities have to be particularly cautious as they’re extra prone to expertise dehydration, overheating and sprains, strains or different accidents,” mentioned Dr. Steven Erickson, medical director for Banner Sports activities Medication and Concussion Specialists. “As outdoors temperatures are rapidly rising, youngsters are overager to renew actions at full throttle. Many kids aren’t conscious their stamina and warmth tolerance seemingly declined whereas they have been staying at dwelling.”
Erickson affords a number of suggestions as youngsters quickly transition from spending extra time indoors to taking part in within the warmth.
To keep away from warmth sickness:
• Keep properly hydrated. Drink 20 ounces of water two to a few hours earlier than train, and one other 20 ounces half an hour earlier than. Drink three liters of fluid a day, whether or not or not you’re exercising. Don’t wait till you’re thirsty to drink.
• Be conscious of the solar. Keep out of the solar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when it’s the strongest. Search shade at any time when potential. Put on broad brim hats, sun shades and light-weight SPF clothes that covers as a lot of your physique as potential.
• Use sunscreen. Specialists counsel mineral sunscreens that embrace zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Select a broad-spectrum sunscreen to supply safety from each UVA and UVB rays. Use SPF 15 or increased and apply 15 minutes earlier than solar publicity. Reapply throughout halftime or between innings.
To scale back threat of sports activities accidents:
• Tempo your self. It’s vital to heat up and stretch earlier than bodily exercise. Construct up your coaching program step by step. Be certain that the required tools for every sport is correctly fitted.
• Keep away from overuse accidents. Younger athletes are in danger for overuse accidents as a result of their muscle tissues, tendons and bones are nonetheless rising. Their our bodies want extra time to recuperate between actions. Repetitive movement from taking part in the identical sport exercise, corresponding to overpitching, may cause critical accidents.
• Don’t ignore accidents. Should you can’t stroll or play your sport with out important ache or discomfort, you shouldn’t take part till you see a physician. Doing so may cause further damage to the joint or a brand new damage from making an attempt to guard the sprain.
For extra suggestions and data, go to www.bannerhealth.com/sportsmedicine.
— to azbigmedia.com
