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Kids Should Get in Shape Before They Hit the Field

By Susan Steeves WebMD Feature

Reviewed By Craig H. Kliger

Dec. 19, 2000 -- Your youngster is suited up, and you're both excited about the beginning of the season for his or her chosen sport. But is that protective padding and helmet enough to ensure that the season ends as happily as it begins? Not if preseason conditioning hasn't been included in the preparation, according to experts.

At least half of the estimated 3.5 million annual sports-related injuries sustained by kids under the age of 15 could be prevented if youngsters were more physically fit before they played the game, says the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Conditioning should include aerobic, strength, and flexibility training, says the organization, along with others such as the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Red Cross (ARC), and the National Athletic Trainers' Association.

"You should get in shape to play the sport; don't play a sport to get in shape," says Jon Almquist, specialist for athletic training for the Fairfax (Va.) County School District. It's especially important for young children just becoming active in sports to have a thorough medical exam and to condition gradually so that any physical problems can be detected.

Children and adolescents should have at least 6-8 weeks of preseason conditioning before they actively engage in sports, says the ACSM. The organization recommends that sports medicine physicians, athletic trainers, qualified youth coaches, and parents work together to develop the proper preparation program for each individual. This should include the type, frequency, intensity, and duration of training.

The AAOS also points out that children don't physically mature at the same rate. The organization advises that youngsters in team sports be grouped according to their level of skill and their size rather than by age.

Almquist tells WebMD that athletes -- especially those aged 10 through the early teens -- must have careful, gradual, thorough warm-ups and good aerobic programs before they start building muscle for a particular sport. Today it's even more crucial for youngsters of those ages because many children are sedentary until they decide to become involved in an organized team sport, such as football, baseball, basketball, or soccer. This can lead to serious injuries, especially if they don't know the proper way to condition, he says.

"One mistake people make is believing the first part of a conditioning session should be stretching," Almquist tells WebMD. Actually, each athlete should warm up first. Simply running in place or going for a walk -- depending on the person's fitness -- can get the heart pumping. This is important to move more oxygen through the body to support the muscles and build up the heart's strength.

Flexibility training is also essential, particularly for young athletes since their bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are still growing. According to the AAOS, this means that children and teens are more prone to serious injury including sprains (a partial or complete tear of a ligament), strains (a partial or complete tear of a muscle or tendon), and fractures. Even bruising can be more severe.

In addition, because the bones and muscles are not mature, a series of small injuries can cause minor fractures, muscle tears, or progressive bone deformities known as overuse injuries, according to the AAOS. An example of this is "Little League Elbow," which refers to any overuse injury to the elbow of kids participating in sports that involve throwing a ball.

Almquist says it's vital for coaches and physical education teachers to have the proper training to teach each individual element of a sport, such as throwing a ball or sliding into a base. By learning each skill correctly, youngsters are less likely to be injured.

The ARC offers the Red Cross Sport Safety Training program -- designed by that group and the U.S. Olympic Committee and open to any coach or parent -- to teach first aid, CPR, and injury prevention. Among other things, this curriculum offers guidelines on conditioning, recognizing potential injuries, and healthy eating.

"We teach them the importance of conditioning, including warming up, cooling down, and intensity of training," says Connie Harvey, an ARC health and safety expert. The program provides the participants with a workbook, a sports safety training handbook, and emergency contact information forms.

In addition to proper preseason conditioning and warming up before playing, the AAOS recommends that youngsters never play if they are very tired or in pain. A doctor's visit is warranted if a young athlete shows signs of inability to play after a sudden injury, decreased ability to play due to chronic pain, any sign of arm or leg swelling (or other abnormality), or severe pain from a traumatic injury.

"If your body is telling you something -- don't play," says Almquist.

Almquist and Harvey both say that it's important for parents to confirm that a coach of any sport has proper training to teach an athletic activity and to recognize the potential for injury as well as actual ones when they occur. Above all, the sport should be fun and should motivate the youngsters.

"For little kids, make sure everyone gets to play, and encourage them to do their best," says Almquist. "It's awful if someone says to a child, 'He couldn't catch anyway.' Then that kid sits in front of the TV for the rest of his life."

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