For many parents whose children are active in sports, August is back-to-sports month before school starts in September.
Before your kids begin their season, it is important they know the proper steps to stay healthy during training. Each year, high school athletic trainers see a number of students “sidelined” from sports-related injuries that could have been prevented with proper education and screening.
Help your child prevent sports-related injuries with these four tips:
- Eat a healthy diet: For some students, this is the first time back in the game after a long off-season. A healthy diet can help prevent fatigue, and promote energy and focus.
- Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate: The importance of drinking enough water prior to and during practice cannot be stressed enough. Properly hydrating prevents dehydration, fatigue and heat illness.
- Visit the doctor: An annual sports physical is important for addressing health concerns that may limit an athlete’s ability to perform without injury.
- Take frequent breaks: Especially during early fall, take frequent breaks to rest and rehydrate. This helps prevent heat-related illness and overexertion.
To assist in “back-to-school sports” preparation, Charlotte Public Schools has partnered with EMPOWER, HGB’s rehabilitation services at AL!VE, to provide free ImPACT concussion baseline testing for all athletes participating in contact sports. This screening provides physicians a reliable, accurate baseline tool to determine when an athlete is ready return to competition after suffering a concussion.
Derek Sanders is a certified athletic trainer for Charlotte High School and EMPOWER at AL!VE. For more information on ImPACT concussion testing and its benefits, call (517) 541-5800, ext. 2 or email dsanders@hgbhealth.com.
