The price of pain - A parent's guide to preventing sports' injury

Once upon a time, I was a figure skater. But these days, the only triple Salchow I perform is getting three kinds of milk for three different kids (well, two kids and a husband). And I miss spending day after day on the ice--I really do! But there's something I don't' miss about it.


A persnickety ankle.


Now, every once in a while, when I've gone on a particularly long run, that ankle will ache, but it's not the same as the chronic injury that plagued most of my skating career. And when I think back to all the skating, training, and eventually coaching that I used to do in one week, I sometimes wonder...


Was I overdoing it...just a bit?


That's a tough question to answer in a society that believes practices makes perfect, because wouldn't that mean that more practice makes more perfect? We overdo, overbuy, overstep, overeat, and maybe, just maybe, push ourselves (and eventually, perhaps our kiddos) a little too hard.


"What?" you ask. "Do you expect me to tell my kids to lie around on the couch so they never get hurt?"


Don't be silly. Sports are awesome. Sports will develop coordination, strength, teamwork, flexibility, (deep breath), perseverance, confidence, etc., etc., etc.


And working hard is a must. Believe me, five-thousand hip bruises later, I know what it takes to master something, to become stronger. But when it comes to your child, you are the best person to keep tabs on his or her well-being. Sports professionals are fantastic, and great for getting advice, but you are the person who knows your child best.


Keeping that in mind, here are two types of injuries to consider and some effective ways for preventing and handling them.


Accidental (or acute) injury - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers three steps for preventing this type of injury: 1) Gear up, 2) Use the right stuff, and 3) Pay attention to temperature. This means that it's your responsibility to know what type of safety gear is needed, to ensure gear is up-to-date (not broken or the wrong size), and to do things like keeping kids bundled up in the cold and hydrated no matter the temperature. Yes, that's a hefty list, but it may save you a trip to the emergency room.


And keep an eye on your child's energy level, says Yolanda Thomas, Director of the Lil' Kickers program at SoccerCity in Oklahoma City. "Many injuries are caused by fatigue," she warns.


Chronic injury - The other type of injury, the one I was whining about, is chronic. Basically, these type of injuries are often caused by overuse. On its list of preventing sports injury, the CDC does say "practice makes perfect," and despite my concerns with the phrase, they explain it this way: "Have children practice proper form – this can prevent injuries during baseball, softball, and many other activities. Also, be sure to safely and slowly increase activities to improve physical fitness; being in good condition can protect kids from injury."


Jackie Brenner, Skating Director at Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Edmond, says that professionals can help you understand the risk of chronic injury. In skating, making sure muscles are balanced, as well as stretching out the other direction (especially in a somewhat one-sided sport like figure skating), is critical to the body's health.


And finally, don't be afraid for your kid to take a small break or even try something different for a little while. Any type of sport will lead to better conditioning for all athletic activities, and at the end of the day, teaching a child the importance and satisfaction of a lifetime of physical activity is more important than a few more trophies on the shelf.

Solving the energy crisis - Finding the right sport for your munchkin!

Have you ever witnessed a toddler trying to complete a forward somersault? Or a cartwheel? Have you ever watched a herd of little people chase a soccer ball, or seen a kid smack a plastic bat into a baseball tee?


Oh yeah, it's pretty funny.


These days we have the opportunity to see kids try their hands at sports earlier than ever, with many programs opening up to children as early as 18 months of age. For a parent who's still trying to get rid of bottles, pacifiers, and the high chair, the thought of starting a child in sports may be the last thing on your mind. However, with winter keeping those hyper kids cooped up, you may have also decided it's time for an energy outlet.


In the spirit of the Winter Olympics, and our society's crazy obsession with all things "athlete," I decided to lean on some local experts to discover which sports are suitable for the youngest of children, and why a parent might be persuaded to pay the cost of getting junior in a program that  just organizes activities a kid does already. What I found is that Edmond has a lot to offer on the small fry scale, and that parents who start their children early in sports have nothing to be ashamed of.


Gymnastics. If your looking for a strong foundation of flexibility, coordination, and strength, gymnastics is a great start. Enter Edmond's Oklahoma Gold Gymnastics, owned by Steve Hoehner. Their toddler gym looks so fun, I'd like to play in it. "We help kids learn the fundamentals without them knowing it," said Hoehner, who added that sports programs for kids 5 and under should focus on having fun while learning. He said he designed a curriculum at Oklahoma Gold for kids 18 months to 5 years of age that emphasizes developing motor skills while having a great time.


Ice Skating. Another sport that develops flexibility and coordination, as well as muscles that support bilateral motion, is ice skating (popular now for obvious reasons--you know, the Olympics and all!). Although kids generally start this a little later (ages 3 to 4), Jackie Brenner, Director of Figure Skating at Arctic Edge in Edmond, says that the earlier kids start, the more comfortable they are and the easier it is, as their center of gravity is lower. She also emphasized that programs for young ages should build foundations while a child is having fun (by the way, I heard that word--fun--a lot).


Soccer. Another sport that emphasizes early coordination is soccer. In addition, the sport also concentrates on learning teamwork, which helps with social skills, says Yolanda Thomas, Lil Kickers Program Director at SoccerCity, an indoor facility in northwest Oklahoma City. "We start children in the program as early as 18 months, and focus quite a bit on balance and coordination, all in a fun-filled environment." Thomas adds that in the parent-and-me classes (for children 18 months to 3 years), parents will not only expend energy (like their kiddos), but will also find that they get to enjoy playing with their children as well.


T-Ball/Basketball/Flag football. Finally, kids can benefit from sports such at T-ball from age 3, basketball from age 4, and flag football from age 5 at the Edmond's YMCA. These types of sports help children develop relationships with other kids as well as a healthy understanding of competition as they continue through the program. Again, it's all about letting kids have fun while they discover these sports, says Chris Berry, Associate Executive at the Edmond YMCA.


And of course, swimming. According to Infant Swimming Resource, the best way to keep children safe from drowning is training them to handle themselves in the water. Several facilities, including the YMCA and The Key Health Institute of Edmond, offer swimming lessons, and even if a child never continues with the sport, he or she will have a lifetime of confidence and safety with the knowledge of swimming. And it is an activity people can do their whole lives.


I'm sure there are more sports out there for little ones, but the programs I did find and the people I talked to who run them certainly convinced me that Edmond has plenty to offer in the way of positive early athletic programs. So don't be counting any gold medals or college scholarships yet, but do get those kiddies active.  Because that's a habit they can keep for a lifetime.