sccrMore than 1.3 million children were admitted to the ER due to sports injuries in 2012. According to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance Survey, football was the leading cause of these injuries among college and high school athletes with an estimated 466, 492 kids treated. The majority of the kids experienced sprained ankles, torn knee ligaments and busted heads. Football is a favourite sport for children as young as five years, high school kids and college athletes hence, associated with the highest number of traumatic injuries. Overuse injuries are also likely to occur as a result of heavy training and conditioning while concussions develop due to high-speed hits with the ground or other players. Here are other common injuries kids develop when playing football.

 

Concussions

This form of injury affects the head and is the most common form of football injury. Kids aged 12-15 are prone to concussions. Even with helmets, players still get injured as a result of sudden jerking motions or direct hits to the head. The victim may not pass out immediately but may develop symptoms like dizziness, headache, nausea, blurry vision, confusion, numbness, loss of balance, loss of memory or slurred speech.

 

Knee Injury

Medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament are the most common knee injuries. The injuries develop during a tackle. The injury may also affect the cartilage and the meniscus of the joint, which later forms into arthritis. Since young kids have a weak growth plate, fractures develop in the knee instead of tearing.

 

Shoulder dislocation

This type of injury occurs when the shoulder develops a sprain on the joint close to the collarbone. Young teenagers and growing kids often develop a fracture at the growth plate at the end of the clavicle, a condition known as AC separation. An unstable shoulder and tears along the tissue of the shoulder socket may also occur.

 

Overuse Injuries

Back pain is a fairly common occurrence among young football players and is caused by overuse. The player may also develop patellar tendinitis, common knee injury problem that is usually treated through a strengthening program.

 

How Chiropractic Care Helps Kids Playing Football

Chiropractic care has become a common form of preventive measure among kids playing football. Most injuries are not apparent as the adrenaline felt by players during a competition can mask the pain. There are cases where patients develop injuries years after impact. Sunbury chiropractors emphasise on pre-sports preparation to prevent the most common injuries among young players. Their expertise in the neuromusculoskeletal system allows them to provide the best ways to avoid injuries when playing and offer advice on how to condition the body to prepare it for rough play.

 

Also, regular chiropractic care for kids enables kids to enjoy the same benefits as adults, including keeping the body balanced, flexible and offers ways to alleviate aches and pains to keep the child performing to the best of his ability. While buying protective gear that is essential for kids, parents should consider making regular chiropractic care appointments as a preventive measure for football injuries.

FootballParticipating in team sports is great for kids fitness and character building. Playing various sports plays a big part in fighting obesity and tackling the disengagement many of our kids are suffering from nowadays. How many of you spend nights fretting over the time your kids spend in the virtual world? Are you constantly thinking of ways to divert their attention?

 

Playing Football Can Have a Positive and Negative Effect

In Australia, a popular game for young people is football. However, there is a lot of concern being raised about the suitability of this contact sport for children. The reason for this is that tackling moves can have a significant impact on a players well being. Other features of the game that can impact on players health are the repeated rapid acceleration and deceleration, jumping, bending, agility and other types of collisions. The game itself is played over an increasing number of short high intensity periods of play and longer stop periods. For adults, weighing up the risk of being injured against the benefits of playing football is much easier. For younger people the choice is a little more difficult.

 

Recent Research Has Shown Chiropractic Can Reduce Injuries

There has been some important research undertaken recently, with regards Australian Rules football. Two big name clubs participated in the study. It was found that chiropractic can reduce the risk of player injury, significantly. The injuries under the microscope were hamstring injuries and lower limb muscle strain. These are the two most common injuries in the sport today. It is the first research of its kind, and there were some important issues raised. A total of 59 players took part in the study, from two teams.

 

The research has shown that:

Those in the study receiving chiropractic care were 4% less likely to suffer hamstring injuries and lower limb muscle strain

Those not in the study were 17% more likely to suffer a hamstring injury and 28% more likely to suffer lower limb muscle strain

The players receiving chiropractic care missed only four matches during the season, while those not receiving care missed a total of 35 matches.

As well as reducing hamstring injuries and lower limb muscle strain there were also improvements in non-contact knee injuries, lower back pain and a general improvement in players physical health.

 

In the US, there are an increasing number of professional sports teams that are turning to chiropractors, many of whom have become an important member of the team staff. For example, 32 NFL teams have an official team chiropractor. AFL football clubs are also now turning to chiropractors to help reduce the risk of soft tissue injuries.

 

You might be thinking that visiting a chiropractic centre, like Sunbury Chiropractor, is not for you. However, this centre is experienced in sports chiropractic, with a special interest in young children. If you’ve got a young family member or friend who loves playing football, consider paying a chiropractic centre a visit in order to reduce football related injuries.

mgThe ADA (American Dental Association) states that a mouthguard, worn during sporting activities will provide sixty times more protection to a child’s teeth, jaw and the soft tissues of their mouth and face.¹  Worryingly only 30% of children taking part in sporting activities, actually wears one of these protective sports mouthguards, though.²

These figures are surprising when parents are so concerned for the safety of their child, but so often, the ‘boil and bite’ self-forming mouthguards available in-store are uncomfortable, and therefore, unpopular.

Diane Tozer, is a Dental Prosthetist whose practice, Westside Denture, is not only a well-known dispenser of dentures Brisbane but also of sports mouthguards that are custom-made for each wearer. She warns that an ‘off the shelf’ mouthguard may be a false economy as firstly, a child is unlikely to comply and wear it 100% of the time, and secondly, these products do not offer the same degree of protection when they are worn! She goes on to point out that, thousands of people receive treatment each year in Hospital EDs and by their own Dentists, after a sporting injury to their mouth or jaw that could potentially, have been avoided.

Custom Mouthguards Give The Best Protection

It is indisputable, that wearing any type of mouthguard will be better than not wearing one at all, but by comparison with the uncomfortable, often poorly fitting, store-bought type, custom Mouthguards win hands-down! Diane goes on to point out that, ‘at our practice, each mouthguard wearer can be confident that it is not going to get dislodged, or fall out, will be comfortable for long periods, (even if they wear dental braces), and will be resistant to wear and tear and low maintenance.’

‘Most importantly,’ she continues, ‘for young wearers, our mouthguards do not restrict breathing or make clear speech difficult – and a big plus it that we can make them in school or team colours which, apparently, makes them “really cool”!’

Parents, even those not covered by a Healthcare plan, are pleasantly surprised, by the affordable price of providing their child with unparalleled dental protection during sport. If you would like further information or wish to book a consultation for your child, call the practice, Westside Dentures Brisbane today on 07 3278 0580.

Do Not Risk Injury

It really is not worth the risk. Accidents such as the one that happened to football goalkeeper for Newcastle Jets, Mark Birighitti are avoidable. He lost several teeth and needed forty stitches because he was not wearing a mouthguard. You can prevent accidents like this for your child!

You might feel that a store-bought mouthguard is saving money but is actually, a bad buy if your child leaves it in his kit bag – for any of the reasons we have highlighted! If it does not provide full protection, your child could still pick up a painful injury and even lose teeth, unnecessarily. Remember that a custom-made sports mouthguard give your child 60 times the protection of a child not wearing one!

¹ http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science%20and%20Research/Files/patient_69.ashx

² ADA http://www.mouthguardawareness.info/about-mouthguards.html

golfIf you are a Golfer whose swing is not improving – or is not as good as it used to be, you may find the culprit is in part of your shoulder, your Rotator Cuff. Read on, to find out more about how this could be adding extra strokes to your Golf handicap!

The Rotator Cuff is the name for the group of muscles attaching the Scapula to the Humerus. These muscles all have different but related functions:

  • The Subscapularis rotates the shoulder in and the Infraspinatus rotates the shoulder out.
  • The Infraspinatus andTeres Minor work together.
  • The Supraspinatus lifts the arm up sideways.
  • These muscles are also involved when lowering the arm and reaching back.

If you are a left-handed golfer, the reverse of the information provided below for right-handed golfers will apply to you!

 

The Backswing and Forward Swing

Backswing problems are common in those who have a weakness or problem with the Subscapularis, the Infraspinatus or the Teres Minor.

The Supraspinatus is responsible for lifting the arm as you begin the stroke. Any pain or inflammation here or in any of the other shoulder structures, will make your backswing less effective.

Weakness affecting either or both of the Teres Minor and Infraspinatus will result in problems with the outward rotation of the right shoulder and any problem with the Subscapularis may affect your range of rotational movement.

Any dysfunction or weakness of these muscles in the left shoulder can affect the ability to rotate the shoulder inwards.

The Rotator Cuff actions described above are reversed during the forward swing.

 

The Follow Through

Similar movement patterns are involved during ‘follow through’ with the right shoulder inwardly rotated by the Subscapularis and the left shoulder externally rotated by both Infraspinatus and Teres Minor. Any weakness or shortening in either group of muscles will distort the swing.

A fully functional Rotator Cuff is vital in halting the swing correctly. If it does not, many micro-injuries can occur over time, eventually leading to a major problem or, a larger injury could occur, causing shoulder damage.

 

What Causes Rotator Cuff Injuries?

These are the most common causes of Rotator Cuff injuries for golfers:

  • Degenerative conditions, particularly in the Supraspinatus region of the shoulder
  • Accidental damage caused by a sudden jarring (hitting a stone, or tree root, for example).
  • Poor golfing technique
  • Poor neuro-muscular tone

 

Innovative Treatment For Rotator Cuff Injuries At SpineScan

Adam Rocchi, a Chiropractor at SpineScan in Perth uses Trigenics for many of his patients, including those with Rotator Cuff injuries. Trigenics is a high-tech method that helps him to evaluate and treat patients using reflexes of the spinal cord and brain to enable the strengthening and lengthening of affected muscles.

Because most Golfers are unaware that they might be able to improve their golfing performance and reduce their risk of injury by addressing an existing neuro-muscular problem, it is well work calling SpineScan today, on (08) 61508785 Scarborough or (08) 61508783 Mount Pleasant and getting checked out, even if you are not presently suffering from a shoulder injury.

Dr Rocchi says that treatment can provide the breakthrough in results that has previously eluded some of his patients – who have correct technique, but who fail to progress, because of correctible neuro-muscular problems.