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Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon Offers Tips on Preventing School Sports Injuries
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Aug 10, 2016 - 9:18:23 AM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (Aug. 10, 2016) - Back to school means back to sports - and the risk of injury that comes with them.

"Being aware of the injury potential of your sport and proactively seeking ways to prevent such injuries is critical," says Dr. Jennifer Beck, a pediatric sports medicine physician at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica.

Every sport has its own inherent risks, but one competitive sport - cheerleading - often is overlooked.

"There's increasing recognition of cheerleading as a sport," says Beck, who notes that starting with the 2017-18 school year, it will be designated as a California Interscholastic Federation sport, and therefore overseen by CIF guidelines and standards.

"Cheerleaders have often trained in poorly equipped facilities - or even outside on the grass - with little if any protective gear," said Beck, who is also a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. "When you consider that they are training to perform towering pyramids and dramatic tumbling sequences, it's not surprising that the sport has a very high injury rate - particularly head and neck injuries."

Beck urges all athletes to:

In addition, football and soccer players should wear all the recommended safety equipment - especially helmets and pads - and be sure it fits correctly. Cheerleaders and gymnasts are advised to train only in properly equipped facilities featuring recommended safety equipment, including quality tumbling mats. For basketball players and track-and-field competitors, Beck warns of pushing too hard because overuse leads to injury. She also recommends taking time off because rest is an important part of the training cycle. Overtraining can lead to stress fractures and other injuries.

Even with the best precautions, injuries can happen. If pain or swelling lasts more than a few days or gets worse, it is time to seek medical care, Beck said.

"And parents, if your athlete suddenly starts taking himself or herself out of the sport, they may have an injury or concern that needs to be checked," she added.

Community Health Talk

Beck will give a free community talk on sport safety for youth athletes, offering tips for parents, coaches and school administrators, on Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. She also will review ways to prevent common musculoskeletal injuries.

The presentation will be at the Santa Monica Family YMCA, 1332 6th St. in Santa Monica. The YMCA will provide free supervised child activities during this seminar for adults. For more information, please call (800) 516-5323 or email [email protected].edu.

About UCLA Health

UCLA Health has provided high quality healthcare and the most advanced treatment options to the people of the greater Los Angeles region and the world for more than 60 years. UCLA Health includes four hospitals on two campuses - Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica; Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA; and Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA - and more than 150 primary and specialty offices throughout Southern California. UCLA Health is consistently ranked as one of the top hospitals and the best in the western United States in the national rankings by U.S. News and World Report.  For more information, visitwww.uclahealth.org.

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