Sports is a very important activity for children. Keeping
children on the move with any sports activity help maintain body weight,
increase muscle and bone strength, improve confidence and keeps the child well
rested after activities. The only downside with kids getting into sports is of
course the possibility of getting injured.
It is estimated that about 2.6 million children are brought
to the emergency department per year for treatment involving sports injuries.
Common injuries are sprains and strains, fractures, but worrisome injuries
involve the growth plate because it can affect the growth of the child.
Strain and Sprains
When muscles are overstretched and cause partial tears this
called a strain. Sprains on the other hand are more serious and could involve
tearing of the ligaments. Ligaments are connective tissues that connect two or
more bones to a joint. Sprains are much more painful than strains and takes
longer to heal.
The RICE Method
Whether you have a strain or sprain injury, your physician
will typically recommend the RICE method.
Rest. Injuries
heal better if allowed to rest. Lay off the injured body part for at least 3
days to prevent further injuries.
Ice. Cold stimuli
works very well on areas with swelling and inflammation. Use ice packs on the
injured site for 20 minutes at a time until the swelling dissipates.
Compression. Use
an elastic bandage to immobilize the injured area to further hasten healing.
Elevation. Elevating
the injured body part above the heart helps reduce pain and swelling. Pooling
of blood or bodily fluids can be a major part of swelling and inflammation and
elevating the area can help pull back these fluids back into the circulation.
Growth Plate injuries
The growth plate or epiphyseal plate is the area of growing bone
tissue found at the near end of each long bone in children. By adolescence the
growth plate slowly transforms into solid bone. Growth plate injuries commonly
occur after a fall or repetitive use of a body part.
Depending on the injury, the physician may recommend an x-ray to determine if a cast
or splint is needed. On severe cases surgery may be needed if the growth plate
is fractured or shattered and fragments are out of place. Fortunately, most
growth plate injuries can be treated with rest.
