The use of public health notices to protect children from lifelong injuries in sports was proposed, according to a press release.
Due to sports or recreational activities, 6.9 per 100,000 participants are catastrophically injured annually, with many being younger than 21 years.
“A coordinated, multifaceted approach involving awareness, education and rule changes is required” to reduce the lifelong disability from sports injuries,” Alun D. Ackery, MD, MSc, and Allan S. Detsky, MD, PhD, stated in the release.
The authors suggest resting when injured.
“Unnecessary risk taking and violent physical contact in sport need to be ‘denormalized’ through education and awareness campaigns,” which the authors say can be changed through changing rules regarding risk and injury.
This could be achieved through parental involvement, professional athletes who have experienced injuries, or medical professionals to provide information on prevention of injury and recovery time.
“This is about keeping our young players healthy to enjoy the rest of their lives,” stated the authors. “Unnecessary lifelong disability will not help anyone, least of all a minor who cannot fully appreciate the consequences of serious injury.”
