Children and sports
How to support your child’s return to sport and when a paediatric physiotherapist can help.
Encourage variety
Children are at much higher risk of injury if they complete repetitive high impact sports e.g. jumping,
sprinting . By encouraging a variety of activities repetitive strain on specific muscles and joints is
reduced and whole body strength and proprioception is promoted.
Track height changes
During adolescents your child will have significant periods of growth. When a child grows their bones
lengthen and their muscle stretch over the new length. If this growth occurs rapidly it will cause muscle
tightness. Tight muscles can cause pain and increases risk of injury and growth related conditions.
simple stretches reduce this risk - a paediatric physio can assess and provide treatment.
Balanced sleep and nutrition
Encourage good quality sleep to allow for rest and recovery by:
Reducing screen time 45 minutes prior to bed
promote a wind down time prior to bed
Support age appropriate sleep times
Advocate a healthy balance diet to provide enough energy and nutrition for activity levels.
Don’t ignore children’s pain
Its easy to dismiss a child’s pain due to growth, but growth related conditions can significantly benefit
from physiotherapy. Without appropriate treatment injuries are more likely to reoccur and growth
related conditions become more severe causing increased time out of sport. If your child is experiencing
pain that is limiting their participation in sport they should be reviewed by a paediatric physio.
Author - Marie Phillips