Statistics indicate that every 25 seconds a U. S. teen
athlete is injured severe enough that they require hospital treatment. Every 3
minutes, a teen athlete is treated in an emergency room for concussion. In
fact, athletes ages 12-15 make up almost half of the 163,000 sports related
concussions seen in hospitals. http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2013/08/06/Every-25-seconds-a-US-teen-athlete-treated-for-sports-injury/UPI-77041375791902/
While a lot is available on injury prevention, and medical
treatment of an injury, there is a lot less available on how to help an athlete
that’s laid up with a concussion or another injury.
For many teens, the social aspects are as important, or more
so, then the sport itself. Not participating in trainings, let alone games and
competitions, can be devastating. Then there is the effect of not exercising,
which, when combined with loss of social connections and coping with the injury
itself, can lead to depression, anxiety, anger and to other health issues.
Below are resources to check out as well as some general
recommendations:
• Avoid injuries whenever possible. Check out Snow Safety:Protect Your Head
• Encourage your athlete to be more than a “one crop farmer.”
Many athletes are so focused on their sport they don’t develop other interests
so when they are injured it feels like their whole world has ended.
• Psychology of an injured athlete: how you can help:
Handout from the University of Kentucky Sports Medicine program. Identifies a
number of things you can do. Note that this can be a slow download.
• Sports Injuries: Treat the Whole person: Provides
advice for parents
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