United States Sports Academy
America's Sports University^®

Kate Stinchfield

TIME - Heath Section. Little Athletes, Big Injuries. February 25, 2008. Pg 51.

NCSF - National Cheer Safety Foundation

http://www.cheerinjuryreport.com/

NCAA - National Collegiate Athletic Association

http://www.ncaa.org/

SGMA - Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association

http://www.sgma.com/

Dr. Martha Murray, Orthopedic Surgeon for Children’s Hospital Boston.

http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2007/02/12/focus4-Surgeon-makes-gel-gun-to-heal-female-athletes-injuries.html

CDC - Center for Disease Control, Heads Up Program.

http://sportsinjuries.suite101.com/article.cfm/concussions_in_youth_sports

Researchers say due to the increase in sports participation, increase in year round play and multi-sports along with parents putting a tremendous amount of pressure on young athletes to compete is the main reason these injuries are on a rise. The young athletes do not get a chance to rest. The underlying cause is lack of regulation protocol.

Kin Dixon

REUTERS, Overuse sports injuries widespread in kids: doctors. Yahoo New, February 15, 2007

There are 38,000 sports-related eye injuries in the United States each year that require a trip to the emergency room. 90% of these injuries are preventable. Making sports protective eyewear a part of athletic uniforms can significantly reduce the potential of eye injuries. Protective eyewear must be made of the proper materials and fitted correctly. Here’s what to look for when choosing protective eyewear.

1. Padded or rubber bridges to keep the goggles comfortable.
2. Deep-grooved eyewear to keep the lenses from popping out of the frames.
3. A face-formed shape to provide a wider field of view.
4. Headband attachments to keep the frames from slipping.
5. Lenses made from polycarbonate, a type of clear plastic that is impact resistant.
6. 100% ultraviolet (UV) protection and scratch-resistant coating.

Vision Council of America & National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE), Check Yearly, See Clearly. Sports Protective Eyewear Fact Sheet and Safety Kit. August 2007.

Coaches have the responsibility to keep their athletes safe while their athletes are participating within their given sport or activity; whether it is during practice or competition. Performing this responsibility should be done in a systematic manner to ensure that the coach does not forget any detail. The following Safety Tip can help keep this responsibility in check:

S = Supervision and proper instruction must be present at all times.
A = Aid and appropriate planning & response to emergencies must be present at all times.
F = Facilities must be maintained and checked daily for possible hazards.
E = Equipment must be maintained and checked daily for possible hazards.

Clover, Jim. Sports Medicine Essentials. 2nd Edition. Thomson / Delmar Learning (2007). Chapter 4: Ethical and Legal Considerations, Pg. 68

Heat-related illnesses are very preventable. The key is balancing major factors that influence body temperature. All factors below need to be addressed:

1. Require all athletes to have a pre-participation physical
2. Monitor and identify athletes who are prone: previous heat illness, overweight, heavy muscled, deconditioned
3. Monitor weather conditions and adjust practice
4. Acclimate athletes to exercise in the heat
5. Switch to light clothing and less equipment
6. Strictly enforce adequate hydration
7. Replenish electrolytes lost through sweat
8. Keep your athletes fit and know their physical limitations
9. Prohibit use of sweatboxes, vinyl suits, diuretics, or other articicial means of quick weight loss

Flegel, Melinda J. Sport First Aid. 4th Edition. Human Kinetics (2008). Chapter 11: WeatherRelated Problems, Pg.137-139

Note: Most lightning-related injuries occur between May and September, and nearly 80% occur between 10AM - 7PM.

1. Check the forecast.
2. Use the 30/30 Lightning Rule & “Flash-to-Bang” Principle. Because light travels faster than sound; and sound also travels about 1mile per 5seconds. It is recommended that you seek shelter if the time from a lightning flash to rumble of thunder is less than 30seconds (6miles). Once in shelter - stay there for 30minutes.
3. Find safe shelter. A sturdy building.
4. Avoid isolated trees or tall objects.
5. Don’t wait for the rain to seek shelter.
6. Avoid metal objects.
7. Never lie flat on the ground.
8. As a last resort - assume the lightning-safe position. If you feel your hair stand on end, skin tingling and hear crackling noises crouch to the ground feet together head lowered in your hands with elbows touching knees. This can create a path for the lightning to the least resistance thru your extremities.

Quinn, Elizabeth. About.com, Your Guide to Sports Medicine. Getting Started and Sticking with Exercise. July 11, 2007.

The AHA is promoting Chest-Compressions-Only Bystander-Initiated CPR. AHA scientific advisory board is labeling this action as bystander response – trying to get more of the general public to help during a cardiac episode. This method is not better than the other – but will be sufficient enough to get the heart to respond. The emergency professionals are still advised to continue to utilize mouth-to-mouth.

Source: Medscape.com March 31, 2008. Medscape-Medical News. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/572238_print

“We don’t typically think of gymnastics as a dangerous sport. It has the same clinical incidence of catastrophic injuries as ice hockey,” says Lara McKenzie, PhD at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. McKenzie also stated, “We may be able to prevent and reduce the number of injuries if we were to establish a uniform set of rules and regulations for gymnasts, trainers and coaches.”

Source: HealthNewsDigest.com April 7, 2008. Sports News. http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Sports_50/Number_of_Serious_Injuries_in_Gymnastics_Rival_Those_in_Ice_Hockey.shtml

Little athletes are suffering big injuries due to coaches and parents piling on too much training. Any athlete can be injured by overtraining – more so with young athletes under the age of 12. More children are being pushed beyond their physical limits – sports injuries often seen at the pro level are being seen on the children’s playground. Coaches and parents need to take into consideration the age and developmental stages of physical growth.

Source: Stinchfield, Kate. TIME - Heath Section. Little Athletes, Big Injuries. February 25, 2008. Pg 51.

In the past 25 years, obesity among U.S. adults has shot up from 15 to 32 percent.

Source: Bryner, Jeanna. Yahoo News.com, Study: Obesity is Socially Contagious. July 26, 2007.

50% of the obese elementary-school kids and 80% of the obese teens are apt to battle the scales for the rest of their lives. Half the kids walked or biked to school a generation ago; today, some 10% do.

Source: Kotz, Deborah. U.S. News & World Report – Health & Medicine Section. How to Win the Weight Battle. September 10, 2007 Pg 60. http://www.usnews.com

Recent studies have shown that women who walk 30 minutes a day catch less colds. Just 45 minutes to an hour of walking, three days a week, helps older adults over 60 increase their brain volume. A single 30 minute walk can help boost your mood immediately if you are depressed.

Source: Staff Writer. Arthritis Today – Arthritis Foundation Advertisement Promo. March 31, 2008, Pg 3.

Sport and exercise medicine has been a medical specialization in Finland since 1985. Dr. Heikki Tikkanen, Director of the Institute of Clinical Medicine’s Unit for Sports and Exercise Medicine at the University of Helsinki stated, “More and more is known about the health implications of physical activity and the positive affects on diseases. In the future exercise will serve as medicine for more people.”

Source: Wuolio, Tinu. Motion: Sport in Finland. For More and More People, Exercise Is Medicine. Volume 2, 2007, Pg 52.

Parents need to consider creating a healthier environment to help manage their children’s weight. Here are some tips.

1. Stock up on good food.
2. Make sweets a treat.
3. Ditch the drive-through.
4. Turn off the TV.
5. Equip the house for exercise.
6. Encourage them to dance.

Source: Hellmich, Nanci. USA Today, A Better Life – Health Section, A lifetime of danger in childhood obesity. January 14, 2008, Pg 4D.

Parents need to help their children burn more calories by helping them find ways to be more active. Here are some tips.

1. Park farther away from entrances.
2. Take the stairs.
3. Get off the school bus one stop earlier.
4. Do physical chores: take out the garbage, put away things, clean the yard.
5. Bike or walk to a friend's house.

Source: Writing Staff – Resources for Educators, Aspen Publishers, Inc. Teen Food & Fitness Newsletter Advertisement Promo. Five easy steps to fitness. January 2008, Pg HO1452.

Eating healthy is essential during pregnancy. Eating well will help to meet your body’s needs and help avoid the common discomforts of pregnancy. Here are some tips.

1. Eating breakfast everyday.
2. Eat high fiber foods.
3. Keep healthy foods on hand.
4. Eat smaller meals to prevent heartburn.
5. If you have morning sickness -- talk to your healthcare provider.
6. Avoid Alcohol.
7. Avoid fish known to have high levels of mercury.
8. Avoid soft cheeses and processed meats that may have high levels of nitrates and bacteria.
9. Cook fish, meat and poultry thoroughly.
10. Cut back on caffeine.

Source: Staff Writer, NIH Medline Plus. Health Lines for Pregnancy, Tips for healthy Eating. Winter 2008, Pg 25.

HDLs are a group of proteins that attaches itself to cholesterol and carries it to the liver for disposal. They act like the cleaners of the bloodstream. HDLs also play a part in the prevention of heart disease, inflammation, oxidation and helps keep the blood vessels flexible to ward off blood clots. Here are some tips.

1. Exercise more.
2. Maintain a healthy weight.
3. Stop Smoking.
4. Adopt a Mediterranean-type diet: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats – olive oil, less saturated and trans fats, more fish and less red meat.
5. Drink alcohol in moderation (one a day for women, two a day for men).

Source: Staff Writer, The New Frontiers of Medicine. Harvard Medical School, How to raise HDLs with lifestyle changes. February 2008, Pg 6.

Simple lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease. Here are some tips.

1. Feed Your Heart: Cut back on fat, increase your fiber; eat fish high in omega-3s and low in mercury; utilize vegetable oils like olive and canola; avoid trans fats; limit dietary cholesterol; cut back on salt; drink moderately; consider plant stanols and sterols.
2. Get Moving: Do at least 30minutes of moderate-intensity activity, 5 days a week; Do 1-2 sets of resistance strength training to the major muscles of the body, 2 days a week.
3. Trim Your Waistline: Work on decreasing excess fat around the belly – eat slow; eat small portions; avoid seconds; do not skip meals, especially breakfast; avoid fried foods, full-fat dairy products, refined carbohydrates and soft drinks; start meals with a salad, broth; eat dishes full of vegetables and fruit.
4. Cool Your Anger: Decrease anger and stress in your life; do some yoga, tai chi, meditation and deep breathing exercises; keep active and exercise everyday.
5. Be A Quitter: Quit smoking.