There are more opportunities to be physically active in the summer and warmer months than in the winter. Your kids are likely looking for activities to enjoy. Unfortunately, this can come with the risk of developing orthopedic injuries.
You can’t 100% prevent injuries, but you can lower the risk. Let’s talk about the five most common summer orthopedic injuries for children and how to prevent them.
1. Bicycle Injuries
Warm weather is a great time to take the bicycle out of the garage and ride around the neighborhood. Bicycle injuries are very common among children. There are many possible orthopedic injuries from biking. Sprains and fractures are most common and can happen if your child loses their balance and falls off the bike. To reduce the risk of bicycle injuries, make sure your child knows how to properly ride a bike and is wearing a helmet and knee/elbow pads to reduce the risk of injury. This is true for skateboarding and skating injury prevention, as well.
2. Playground Injuries
A lot of movement goes on in playgrounds. Kids run, jump, seesaw, swing, dangle from bars, and ride down slides. There is no equipment designed to protect against playground injuries. The best prevention is to choose playgrounds on softer grounds and supervise your child.
3. Swimming Pool Injuries
Swimming is a great way to cool down in the summer. Orthopedic injuries that can occur in the water are usually from diving in the shallow end of the pool, which can lead to neck and spine injuries. Slipping and sliding can also occur along the sides of the pool. There is no swimming gear that protects against these injuries, so supervision and teaching your child about safety in and around the pool is the best way to prevent injuries.
4. Trampoline Injuries
Jumping up and down on a trampoline is one of the riskiest activities that children can do in the summer. A bad landing can lead to orthopedic injuries, such as fractures on the wrists, ankles, elbows, and spine, as well as colliding with another child on the trampoline.
5. Overuse Injuries
Schools usually suspend sports and training in the winter months. Summer is when training and sports camps start. Children can develop overuse injuries, which are usually along the lines of tendonitis, such as jumper’s knee for those who play basketball, tennis elbow for those who play tennis or baseball, and Osgood-Schlatter disease, where the growth plate in the knee becomes irritated due to running, jumping, and other sports-related activities. To prevent overuse injuries, proper conditioning and training, wearing the appropriate protective gear, and using sports-appropriate equipment while playing are recommended.
Pediatric Orthopedic Injury Treatment in Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, TN
Orthopedic injuries can prevent your child from enjoying the warm weather during the summer and early fall. Our orthopedic surgeons at Watauga Orthopaedics regularly provide orthopedic treatment to pediatric patients, so they recover from their injury quickly and comfortably. If you want your child to receive treatment from one of the best orthopedic doctors in Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, call us now at (423) 282-9011 or use our online appointment request form to schedule your appointment.
