With spring and warmer temperatures around the corner, kids of all ages will be spending more time outside in sports and outdoor activities, some of which come with inherent risks for orthopaedic injuries.
“Playing outside and participating in organized sports are important for healthy childhoods, but it’s also important to follow essential safety precautions to help minimize the potential of traumatic injuries,” said Endeavor Health pediatric orthopaedic surgeon Andy Michalowitz, DO, who regularly repairs devastating, preventable injuries.
- Monitor trampoline activity.
Trampolines are one of the biggest injury generators in children, said Dr. Michalowitz. Most of the worst trampoline accidents occur when multiple children of different sizes and ages are jumping together, with double jumps causing major problems.
When a larger body comes down on the trampoline spreading it out at full force and the next person comes down on to a surface that now acts like a concrete floor, all the force is transmitted to the top of the leg. “Proximal tibia fractures are so common they’re also known as trampoline fractures,” said Dr. Michalowitz.
To make trampoline play as safe as possible, Dr. Michalowitz suggests limiting the number of children on a trampoline at one time, and making sure that they share the trampoline with others who are roughly the same size and NO double bouncing. Adult supervision is mandatory especially at trampoline parks that are often crowded and under-supervised. Urge caution and mandate helmets with electric scooters.
Electric scooters are another major culprit of devastating injuries. “Most kids don’t wear helmets, it’s so easy to hop on and off them, they’re often carrying a backpack over one or both shoulders, wearing headphones, and the scooters have tiny wheels that make it so easy for the rider to go over the handlebars when they hit a rock,” said Dr. Michalowitz.
A recent study showed that the number of electric bike and scooter injuries increased by 45% annually between 2017 and 2022, he added. The scooters are more dangerous in many ways as they can reach higher speeds, and it’s harder to be distracted when you are riding bicycle, explained Dr. Michalowitz.- Take care when lawnmowers are in use.
While not a traditional sporting injury, lawnmowers are related to a growing number of injuries and are the number one cause of major limb loss in children under the age of 10 in the United States, said Dr. Michalowitz. Severely burned hands are another extremely common injury.
When younger children are operating push mowers they can easily lose control, especially as they attempt to navigate up or down hills. And younger children on riding mowers, even riding along with older siblings or parents, are also at risk for injury. Safety rules around lawn mowers include:
- Children under 6 should always be inside when either push or riding mowers are in use.
- Children should be a minimum of 12-years-old to operate a push mower and 16-years-old for a riding mower.
“Despite many safety improvements in the machines over the last 40 years there has not been a change in the accident rate,” said Dr. Michalowitz.
- Watch overuse injuries in organized sports.
In terms of organized sports, experts general recommend that younger children avoid specializing in one sport too early. Repetitive motion and overuse can lead to injuries. For example, overuse injuries can occur from pitching in baseball, where growth plate injuries are also known as “Little League shoulder.”
Some tips to help prevent sports-related overuse injuries include:
- Let children try different sports throughout the year.
- Learn proper technique and wear proper-fitting gear.
- Warm up properly and practice regular strength and flexibility training.
- Build in 1-2 days of rest per week.
- Watch for warning signs like pain, swelling or decreased performance.
- Encourage hydration, a balanced diet and plenty of sleep.
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