How can I stay safe when I exercise?

From my article in Birmingham Parent magazine:

If your child is an athlete, you’ve probably wrapped a few sprained ankles, iced some strained muscles or even signed a cast covering a broken bone. Athletes get injured; it’s part of the game. But many parents aren’t aware that young athletes are at risk of more serious injuries: three that in extremely rare cases can lead to death.

This guide will help you understand concussions, eating disorders, knee injuries and the overuse of muscle creams so you can help keep your athlete in the game – safely.

Heads up
“She got her bell rung.” “Boy, that was a de-cleater.” Ever heard these phrases in reference to your child after a collision on the field or court? If so, there’s a good chance your player suffered a concussion.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 300,000 athletes each year suffer a concussion. But that number may be even higher, says Paul D. Blanton, Ph.D., an associate professor with the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Psychiatry.

Blanton says if you ask players if they’ve had a concussion only about 10 percent say yes. However, if you ask about specific symptoms of concussions, the reports are higher, he says, sometimes up to 40 percent among football players.

Many athletes, parents and coaches mistakenly believe that concussions always result in a player being knocked out cold. But Blanton says that’s extremely rare. “More times what you will have are not significant alterations in consciousness but complaints of ‘seeing stars’ or feeling woozy.”

Some of the other signs of a concussion include nausea, dizziness, headaches, irritability and a general complaint of not feeling well. “We need to let athletes know it’s OK to report these symptoms,” Blanton says. “You wouldn’t play on a severely injured ankle. Don’t play with an injured brain.”

Although concussions can’t always be prevented, players can do things to lessen their chances, Blanton says.

*Make sure players use properly fitting equipment.
*Make sure they wear all mandated equipment, especially mouth guards, even in soccer.
*Make sure football players are taught proper tackling techniques: heads up, no spearing.

If you think a player has suffered a concussion, remember this: When in doubt, sit them out – until symptoms subside.

Running on empty
Healthy nutrition is an important part of athletic performance. However, some athletes cast aside the importance of healthy eating in favor of thinner bodies, faster times or increased muscle. They face a different danger: eating disorders.

According to a 1992 American College of Sports Medicine study, 62 percent of female gymnasts, figure skaters and ballerinas had eating issues. Another study found that one-third of all female college athletes exhibited disordered eating. But not all athletes with unhealthy eating patterns are females; the number of incidents among male athletes is on the rise.

Dan Bowman, Ph.D., a Birmingham psychologist specializing in sports psychology and eating disorders, says the number of incidents has doubled in the past 30 years. “Ninety percent of cases are female, but I’ve seen increases in male wrestlers, boxers, even football players,” he says. “Ten years ago, you didn’t see that, but many football players are getting caught up in bodybuilding and they get obsessed with losing fat.”

Runners are also at high risk of developing eating disorders: The smaller you are, the faster you are, Bowman says, explaining runners’ rationale.

The ACSM lists these warning signs:
*Excessive or rapid weight loss
*Preoccupation with weight, food, body image
*Frequent sore throats (caused by self-induced vomiting)
*Fatigue, dizziness, light-headedness
*Cavities, foul breath (self-induced vomiting)
*Depression, low self-esteem

If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, the ACSM recommends setting up a consultation with a dietitian or physician.

The best thing parents can do is to be good role models when it comes to nutrition and exercise, Bowman says. “Half of our country is overweight, and lots of them are always dieting or talking about it. The healthier a role model parents are, the more they protect their children in all aspects of life.”

Make healthy foods available, model healthy eating behaviors and be comfortable with your own body image, the ACSM says.

~ Tiffani Hill-Patterson