Snap, Crack, Pop

Staying active is important for our health, but sports injuries are on the rise among kids, and we should look at how to protect them

The many benefits of sport for children include general fitness, improved coordination and balance, healthy weight, better sleep, greater self-confidence and social development, as well as learning about teamwork.

There is also the ever-present potential for injury – a deflected ball, a stray bat or a racquet swung too close to someone’s head, a hard tackle, slipping and falling. According to Mount Elizabeth Hospital, 65 per cent of sports injuries are of people between five and 24 years old, with 41 per cent being strains or sprains.

As parents, we have to accept a certain level of injury risk with sports, and factor that into our decisions when encouraging our children to participate. Here are some precautions to take to reduce the risk of your child suffering an injury.

1 CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPORT