FRIDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Sports participation among
children and teens is a welcome trend, as it teaches teamwork
and lays the groundwork for lifelong exercise, experts agree.
Not so good, however, are the high rates of injury. About 38
million kids and teens in the United States are in organized
sports, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. And
about one in 10 needs medical attention for a sports injury,
according to Safe Kids USA, an advocacy group. The organization
has launched an educational initiative, supported by Johnson &
Johnson, aimed at reducing the injuries by educating parents,
kids and coaches. "What we are really trying to draw attention
to is, a lot of these injuries can hopefully be prevented," said
Dr. Jamie Freishtat, a pediatrician, spokesperson and blogger
for Safe Kids USA. The wide range of injuries includes scrapes
and bruises, sprains and strains, head injuries, heat-related
injuries, and even Some injuries are what doctors call acute --
a fracture or torn li