Preventable Injuries Sideline One-Third of Young Athletes
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- One in three American
children who plays team sports suffers injuries severe enough to
require medical treatment, according to a national survey
released Tuesday by Safe Kids. The new survey -- which coincides
with Safe Kids Week, April 21 to April 28 -- also found that
nine of 10 parents underestimate how long children should
refrain from playing any one sport in order to protect them from
overuse, overtraining and burnout. Children need to take two to
three months (or a season) away from a specific sport every year
in order to avoid those problems, according to the American
Academy of Pediatrics and the American Orthopaedic Society for
Sports Medicine. The survey showed that about four of 10 parents
underestimate the amount of fluids a typical youth athlete needs
for each hour they play. In order to prevent dehydration,
children require fluids every 15 to 20 minutes during physical
activity. Ninety-two percent o