Play Fit, Stay Fit Aims to Teach Young Athletes How to Prevent Sports Injuries

The beginning of school means the start of the school sports season. And with it comes the risk of strains, sprains and broken bones – injuries that can keep your kids on the sidelines now and out of the game down the road.

Give your kids a head start to a safer season by attending the Play Fit, Stay Fit! event on August 8 at St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center. Enjoy a day of family-friendly activities and hear presentations on injury prevention direct from the sports physicians who have hands-on experience treating the region’s youngest athletes.

The upswing in injuries

According to a survey by Safe Kids Worldwide, 1.24 million kids went to the emergency room with sports-related injuries in 2013. While bumps and bruises are just par for the course when it comes to sports, more serious and potentially life-altering injuries like concussions, pitcher’s elbow and ACL tears are coming into play more frequently.

Jeffrey Nepple, MD, Washington University pediatric orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital noted a variety of factors are increasing the number of patients he and the rest of his colleagues see, including kids’ increased participation in sports, single sport specialization, and the overuse of certain joints and muscles that happens when athletes perform the same movement repeatedly.

“It’s important for parents and coaches to be aware of common overuse injuries seen in a given sport and to identify signs of these injuries at an early stage, hopefully to prevent more serious injuries,” he remarked.

Putting sports injuries in the spotlight

To guide kids and parents alike through the causes and effects of sports injuries as well as their prevention, Washington University and the St. Louis Children’s Young Athlete Center, which provides traditional and comprehensive sports medicine services to young athletes, is hosting Play Fit, Stay Fit!, a free open house event.

Kids age 8 and older are invited to take part in a day of fun, free activities, including warm-up exercises with physical therapists, games, Ask-the-Doctor booths, wholesome snacks, and great giveaways. Orlando Pace, former offensive tackle for the St. Louis Rams, will meet kids in the Fan Zone alongside Rampage from the Rams and Louie from the St. Louis Blues.

Stick around as clinicians from St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University Orthopedics lead a series of informative and interactive presentations focused on the topics most relevant to your child’s safety on the field, ice or court, such as sports injury prevention, concussions, sports anxiety, and heart conditions in the young athlete. And be sure to take a tour of the new St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center to learn more about its physicians and services.

Events like Play Fit, Stay Fit! are crucial for getting kids and their parents on the same page when it comes to their health. Dr. Nepple noted that athletes need to understand their limitations and parents need to reinforce realistic expectations when their children hit the playing field. In addition, Play Fit, Stay Fit! offers a closer look at the injuries parents hear about, but often don’t take into consideration until too late.

“Good resources for education on youth sports injuries can be difficult for individuals to find,” Dr. Nepple explained. “The coverage of the television media on youth sports injuries has raised awareness, but it’s not an adequate source of education. This event will raise awareness and provide education on youth sports injures and hopefully spread the word on the services the Young Athlete Center will provide going forward.”

Play Fit, Stay Fit! will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, August 8 at St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center, 13001 North Outer 40 in Town & Country. The event is geared toward young athletes ages 8 and older, but is free to everyone who attends.

Registration is required – to book your family’s spot, call 314-454-KIDS or visit www.stlouischildrens.org/playfit.