Keeping Athletic Kids Healthy & Fit

Keeping Athletic Kids Healthy & Fit

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In today’s age of health and fitness, more and more kids are involvedin sporting activities. Although being part of a football, soccer or LittleLeague team is an important rite of passage for many kids, parents andtheir children could be overlooking the importance of proper nutritionand body conditioning needed for preventing injuries on and off the playingfield.

“The majority, if not all, sports are good, provided that the child preparesappropriately,” says Dr. Carl Heigl, president of the American ChiropracticAssociation’s Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness. “Withoutproper preparation, playing any sport can turn into a bad experience. Thereare structural and physical developmental issues that need to be takeninto consideration before children undertake certain sports.”

Highly competitive sports such as football, gymnastics and wrestling followrigorous training schedules that can be potentially dangerous to an adolescentor teenager.

The best advice for parents who have young athletes in the family is tohelp them prepare their bodies and to learn to protect themselves fromsports-related injuries before they happen.

“Proper warm up, stretching and weight-lifting exercises are essentialfor kids involved in sports, but many kids learn improper stretching orweight-lifting techniques, making them more susceptible to injury,” saysDr. Steve Horwitz. “Parents need to work with their kids and make surethey receive the proper sports training.”

“Young athletes should begin with a slow jog to warm up the legs and armsand stretch all the major muscle groups,” says Dr. Horwitz. “Kids involvedin football, baseball, gymnastics and swimming should develop a routinethat includes strengthening exercises for the abdomen, the low-back muscles,arms and shoulders.”

Proper nutrition and hydration are also extremely vital. “A student athletemay need to drink eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water for proper absorption.Breakfast should be the most important meal of the day. Also, eating ahealthy meal before and after practice or a game allows for proper replenishmentand refuels the body,” adds Dr. Horwitz.

Young athletes today often think they are invincible. The following tipscan help ensure your child does not miss a step when it comes to properfitness, stretching, training and rest that the body needs to engage insporting activities.

Encourage your child to:

• Wear the proper equipment. Certain contact sports, suchas football and hockey, can be dangerous if the equipment is not properlyfitted. Make sure all items of equipment— including helmets, pads,and shoes— fit your child or adolescent. Talk to your child’s coachor trainer if the equipment is damaged.
• Eat healthy meals. Make sure your young athlete is eatinga well-balanced diet and does not skip meals. Avoid high-fat foods, suchas candy bars and fast food. At home, provide fruit rather than cookies,and vegetables rather than potato chips.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Certain sports, such as gymnastics,wrestling and figure skating, require your young athlete to follow strictdietary rules. Be sure your child does not feel pressured into beingtoo thin and that he/she understands proper nutrition and caloric intakeis needed for optimal performance and endurance.
• Drink water. Hydration is a key element to optimal fitness.Teenage athletes should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of watera day. Younger athletes should drink five to eight 8-ounce glasses ofwater.
• Drink milk. Make sure your child has enough calcium includedin his/her diet. ACA recommends 1 percent or skim milk for children over2 years old rather than whole milk because of its high fat content. Thecalcium in milk is essential for healthy bones and reduces the risk ofjoint-and muscle- related injuries.
• Avoid sugar-loaded, caffeinated and carbonated drinks. Sportsdrinks are a good source of replenishment for those kids engaged in long-durationsports, such as track and field.
• Follow a warm-up routine. Be sure your child or his/hercoach includes a warm-up and stretching session before every practice,game or meet. A slow jog, jumping rope and/or lifting small weights reducesthe risk of torn or ripped muscles. Flexibility becomes a preventivekey when pushing to score that extra goal or make that critical play.
• Take vitamins daily. A multi-vitamin and Vitamin C aregood choices for the young athlete. Vitamin B and amino acids may helpreduce the pain from contact sports. Thiamine can help promote healing.Also consider Vitamin A to strengthen scar tissue.
• Avoid trendy supplements. Kids under the age of 18 shouldavoid the use of performance-enhanced supplements, such as creatine.Instead, they should ask their coach or trainer to include weekly weight-trainingand body-conditioning sessions in their workout.
• Get plenty of rest. Eight hours of sleep is ideal forthe young athlete. Lack of sleep and rest can catch up with the athleteand decrease performance. Sluggishness, irritability and loss of interestcould indicate that your child is fatigued.