An ounce of prevention: Avoid back-to-school sports injuries

While most students aren’t happy about the end of summer, they do look forward to participating in fall school sports. However, unless your student has been diligently training throughout the summer months, the risk of injuries increases as kids take the fields, courts, pools and tracks on campuses across the country.

“Even if a student doing club sports, playing in tournaments throughout the summer, attending camps or participating in conditioning, it's not the same as coming back full force for fall school sports,” says Dr. Mahi Trivellas, a former NCAA Division 1 (D1) athlete who is now an orthopedic surgeon affiliated with Sharp Memorial Hospital. “You definitely have to prepare.”

The most essential way to prepare, she says, is to focus on strength and conditioning. “The stronger you are, the more apt you are to withstand any trauma,” she says.

Personal experience leads to personalized care

Dr. Trivellas personally knows about making a comeback after trauma. The summer before her senior year of high school, Dr. Trivellas was on the verge of achieving her dream of playing college D1 lacrosse. Her chances of being recruited were high — until she tore her ACL, the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee, which helps connect the thigh bone to the shin bone.

“I was devastated and thought my career was over,” Dr. Trivellas says. But she found the grit and determination necessary to fuel her recovery from the injury. Just over a year later, she was signed to play D1 lacrosse at Yale University.

Her ACL tear and other athletic injuries have helped Dr. Trivellas support her patients as they navigate the fine line between trying to recover as quickly as possible while allowing their bodies time to heal. “Because I’m an athlete, I definitely speak their language, which allows them to trust me, understand my guidance, and be actively involved in their recovery,” she says.

An ACL tear epidemic

Among the top injuries Dr. Trivellas treats in young female athletes is the ACL tear, like she experienced when playing lacrosse. Women’s soccer is quickly becoming one of the most popular sports in the world. Unfortunately, 1 in 19 female soccer players ruptures their ACL. And injuries of this type are 2 to 7 times more likely in female players than male players.

“Females have a very different anatomy than men, who can also experience ACL tears,” she says. “Strengthening appropriately, making sure that the quads and hamstrings are balanced, and that you’re overall prepared to play, is essential for all genders.”

Other sports — such as water polo, softball, baseball, tennis and golf — require a focus on strengthening the arms, shoulders and back.

6 tips to prevent sports injuries

According to Dr. Trivellas, appropriate strengthening and conditioning for your youth’s sport decreases their risk of injury and the severity of an injury if it occurs. Conditioning can also help prevent re-injury.

The 6 key tips to sports injury prevention include:

• Physical conditioning

• Strength conditioning

• Balance training

• Stretching

• Cardiovascular training for endurance

• Rest and recovery

Talk with your student’s doctor or school trainer about how to properly train for their specific sport and prevent injury both before and during the season. If an injury occurs, ensure that it is properly treated and your athlete is medically cleared to participate before allowing them to return to training or competition.

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