BY DENISE DIDIO BUHER, PT
A surprising number of high school athletes
are injured each year. Football, soccer, volleyball
and cheerleading injuries for youth
totaled more than 1.5 million in 2013 according
to the Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC).
One potential solution to high school sports
injuries is better partnerships between athletic
coaching staff, athletic trainers and physical
therapists. While coaches and athletic trainers
handle a student athlete’s immediate healthcare
needs on the sidelines, physical therapists
can provide one-on-one treatment and more
hands-on techniques for injury recovery.
According to the National Athletic Trainer’s
Association, only 42 percent of high schools
have access to athletic trainers. With more
than half the nation’s high school without an
on-site trainer, parents should advocate for
increased partnerships between their children’s
athletic coaches and their local physical
therapists.
Parents of student athletes can rest a
little easier knowing that their child’s coach
has a good relationship with a local physical
therapist who can provide education, recommendations
and support for injury treatment and rehabilitation. We aren’t just going to ice,
heat or tape an injury and send a kid back out
onto the field.
Our knowledge and expertise, in partnership
with that of the athlete’s coach, means
players stay healthy. If an individual is injured,
we can provide coaches with game day advice
on whether or not that individual is starting
roster-ready.
To prevent sporting injuries, parents and
coaches should follow these sports safety tips
from Safe Kids Worldwide:
• Rule out potential medical conditions prior
to sports participation with a complete physical
examination by a doctor and follow up with
a physical therapist to screen for any potential
musculoskeletal dysfunctions.
• Notify coaches and staff of any pre-existing
medical conditions before the first practice.
• Be sure to warm-up and cool-down before
and after each sporting session, respectively.
• Drink lots of fluids before and during
heightened levels of activity.
• Ensure your athlete has all the necessary
safety equipment and gear for practices and
games.
• Watch for signs of injury or overuse, such
as headaches and muscle or joint stiffness, and
don’t allow athletes to “play through the pain.”
• Get adequate rest throughout the week.
Denise Didio Buher, PT, is owner of Orthopedic
& Spine Physical Therapy in the towns
of Queensbury and Moreau, and a member
of the Private Practice Section of the American
Physical Therapy Association.