From Your Health Journal…..”A very interesting article from CNN that I wanted to promote here about sports and injuries. We have discussed here so many times how the obesity epidemic facing the youth of the world is on the increase, along with obesity related illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, or type 2 diabetes. One of the suggestions to combat obesity with children is to get them on recreation or travel teams, but for many parent, and understandably, they are worried about sports injuries. Recently, a new study as suggested that football injuries among children have increased 22% in the last decade. Overall, however, sports injuries among children have decreased. The research also concluded that recreational activities – such as bicycles, trampolines and roller sports – saw the biggest decrease at 24.9%. But injuries from ball sports showed a slight uptick of 5.5%, with football and soccer leading the way. Please visit the CNN web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. It was well written and informative.”
From the article…..
Football injuries among children have increased 22% in the last decade, according to a new study. Overall, however, sports injuries among children have decreased.
The findings surprised Dr. Shital Parikh, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the study’s lead author. Parikh will present his research at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting on Thursday.
When he started analyzing the numbers from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, Parikh expected to find a big increase in kids’ injuries based on what he and his colleagues have seen in their practice.
Instead he found that the overall number of activity injuries for kids aged 5 to 14 decreased 11.3%. The researchers looked at data from bicycle, basketball, football, roller sports, playground equipment, baseball/softball, soccer and trampoline injuries.
Recreational activities – such as bicycles, trampolines and roller sports – saw the biggest decrease at 24.9%. But injuries from ball sports showed a slight uptick of 5.5%, with football and soccer leading the way.
Parikh’s research did not address the “why” behind these trends, but he said there are probably several causes.
The overall decrease in injuries could be attributed to the overall decrease in kids’ physical activity and the increase in childhood obesity, he said. Sports may also be safer than they were 10 years ago, thanks to continuing education and preventive programs.
To read the complete article…..Click here