were before.
In fact, they can come back from
an injury and be even better. Ben
Simpson is a strength and conditioning
coach at the Hong Kong Cricket Club,
and has seen plenty of young athletes
improve their game after rehabilitating
an injury.
“We have a talented 13-year-old
spin bowler who broke his wrist and,
when the plaster came off six weeks
later, his arm was skin and bone and
his muscles were soft and weak,” says
Ben. “He had lost all the gripping
power in his fingers, and for a bowler,
that’s not good.”
But instead of letting the injury put
an end to his sporting aspirations, the
young cricketer worked with Ben to
slowly build back what had been lost.
The first step was to return the full
range of motion to the joint; the second
was to regain the strength and balance
in the muscles.
“With dedication and a lot of effort
to rebuild that support structure in his
wrist and hand, he was able to get back
to training and is now bowling better
than he was before,” says Ben.
While broken bones and
dislocations are commonly found in
contact sports like Australian Rules
football, American football, rugby and
kick-boxing, research suggests there
are just as many, if not more, injuries
suffered in non-contact sports. Usually
of a soft tissue nature, these injuries
include sprains, strains and tears of the
muscles, ligaments and tendons. Tennis
elbow and swimmer’s shoulder are two
of the most common.
Sports that require sudden
stopping and change of direction, like
netball and tennis, can be particularly
wearing on knees and ankles, and
ensuring kids are wearing the right
footwear is paramount. Sports shoes
should be flexible, comfortable and,
most importantly, a good fit. Buying
shoes for Junior to “grow into” can be
a huge mistake on the sports field.
Most coaches now agree that one
of the best ways to avoid injury is to
cross-train. When a young athlete
partakes in a training exercise they
wouldn’t normally do, they strengthen
different muscle groups, making the
body stronger overall.
Recent research has also found
strength training with weights to
be beneficial. “That doesn’t mean
young children should be lifting
heavy weights, but certainly a small
percentage of their body weight,” says
Ben. “Strength training improves
balance and posture, as well as
making you stronger.”
Food for thought
The last thing many young athletes
think about is the quality of the food
they put into their bodies, especially
when it’s most likely being scoffed
down on the run in between training,
school and homework. But experts
now believe diet can make a big
difference in keeping the body strong,
resilient and injury-free.
Jeanette Blanks, a naturopath
specialising in sports nutrition,
says young growing bodies that are
being placed under considerable
athletic duress need to have sufficient
nutritional intake.
“A diet low in adequate energy
and protein can certainly increase
the incidence of injury, because the
developing body will not have the
building blocks it needs to repair and
regenerate,” says Jeanette. “Negative
energy balance can also result in poor
bone health, short stature and delayed
puberty.”
In addition to eating a healthy
breakfast, Jeanette advises active
kids to eat slow energy release
carbohydrates with a protein, and
a “rainbow” selection of colourful
fruits and veg. She also recommends
a selection of “powerhouse” foods to
provide the best possible fuel.
“Any fruit or vegetable which is
dark red, blue, purple or green is very
high in antioxidants, which can help
prevent injury,” she says. “Oily fish is
good for essential fatty acids, and milk
is ideal for those who are not dairy-
intolerant.”
There are many precautionary
steps parents and coaches can take
to minimise the risk of injury in their
young sports stars, and taking time out
of hectic schedules just to talk about
how they are physically feeling is a
good start.
As young Ivy discovered, it was
the support and encouragement
from her family, coach and physio
that helped get her back to the pool,
injury-free and ready to achieve. She
believes managing her injury has
actually improved her stroke, and this
has led to a coveted spot training with
the Hong Kong Junior National team.
The determined teen offers this advice
to other young athletes facing similar
hurdles: “Let the injury take its toll,
treat it right, don’t give up hope and
never quit!”
June 2014
61
