How to stay fit


Lowering the Risk of High School Football Injuries

Football is a dangerous sport. Players endureresponsible for conditioning or if the
bruising contact, long practices in hotprogram has a trainer that works with
weather and all sorts of unusual stresses andchildren.Dehydration is a critical issue
strains on their muscles, ligaments andamong football players since practices
tendons. It is not possible to preventtypically occur outdoors during the hottest
injuries in the game of football and for thispart of the summer. Ask the coach what
reason many parents are hesitant to allowmeasures are taken to prevent dehydration.
their children to participate. But the riskKnow that fluid breaks should be taken about
of injury can be minimized with cooperationevery 45 minutes and players should be
between parents, doctors and coaches.Whenallowed to drink all they want in order to
your child comes to you and asks to try outkeep properly hydrated. Also ask whether the
for football, your answer should always becoach, trainers or other personnel are
contingent on the results of a full medicalcertified in CPR.Wearing protective equipment
checkup. Be sure that the doctor knows thatis a given, but you need to work with the
it is a sports physical so that he or she cancoach to ensure that it fits properly.
check for the appropriate things like jointWhether or not the program requires it, your
flexibility and heart health. After yourchild should wear a mouth guard. Mouth guards
child is cleared medically, then you can moveare instrumental in preventing dental
on to investigating the program and learninginjuries and can protect against jaw and
what safety measures are provided.One of thecertain types of head injuries as well.Ask
most important facets of avoiding injury inwhat medical staff will be on hand during
any sport is maintaining proper conditioningpractices and games should an injury occur.
through exercise and good nutrition. Ask yourTo prepare for the worst-case scenario,
child's potential coach how conditioning isconsider giving the coach or trainer an
handled. Year-round conditioning is ideal,emergency health care authorization letter.
but barring that, children should participateThis letter will allow your child to be
in appropriate conditioning programs for attransported and treated at a hospital even if
least six weeks prior to the beginning ofyou are not there to give permission.
regular practices. Ask whether the coach is



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