5 Ways to Help Teens Cope With Sports Injuries
If you’re the parent of a teen in a sport, it’s possible you’ve also
been the parent of an injured athlete or may be in the future. According to
the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, sports-related injuries were
the leading cause of emergency room visits for children ages 12-17 in 2017.
My eldest son has experienced three injuries in the same number of years
and I’m keenly aware of how upsetting it is that we can’t prevent or
predict all injuries. Of course, some sports are more dangerous than
others. Contact sports such as football can be expected to result in a
higher number of injuries than noncontact sports such as swimming. Yet, all
teen sports have a potential for injury.
When it comes to dealing with sports injuries, the best defense can be a
good offense. The following are five important things parents of a pre-collegiate athlete can do to help adolescents and teens handle and recover from the challenges of a sports injury and set them on a course for healing and, hopefully, continued play.
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Don’t assume coaches know.
High school and competitive
premier club coaches are well-trained and dedicated. Coaches are usually
aware of potential sport-related injuries. But until college-level
athletics, they often aren’t trained in the nuances of sport-related
injuries other than the most common and, of course, concussions. It’s up to
parents to be proactive and keep coaches and trainers informed of the type
and extent of a teen’s injury, as well as your doctor’s instructions. -
Find a doctor who will work with you and your teen.
A
typical first step after an emergency room or initial doctor visit is to
get a referral for an orthopedist. Injuries manifest in unique ways
depending on physical history, development and injury event, so your teen
will need a doctor or surgeon who specializes in musculoskeletal injuries.
It’s important to find an orthopedist who works with teens and has
experience in the specific area of injury. Your parent network can be a
wonderful source of referrals. Find someone you trust who also appreciates
the need for teens to be involved in treatment decisions. Dr. Steven Bernstein, an orthopedic surgeon in Chevy Chase, Maryland
encourages parents to talk with, not at, their teens, about injuries and
treatment options. “I want them to feel like they’re active participants in
these big decisions affecting their ability to get back on the field,”
Bernstein says. Allowing teens to take the lead in decisions, while using
medical advice and judicious parental guidance, will result in greater
responsibility for and commitment to recovery from them. -
Stay involved with the team or sport.
Teens often
consider their athletic abilities to be a large part of their identity.
This is both developmentally appropriate and also a challenge, as it can be
difficult for a teen to broaden their perspective about who they are. You can
help your teen continue to see themself as a part of the team by attending
games and practices, whenever possible. Continue to volunteer for team
activities as a parent and encourage your teen to inquire about additional
ways to support the team. Often, more than one player is injured at a time,
and working together with a teammate may be more fun that doing it alone. -
Encourage your teen to increase other activities or hobbies.
While remaining a part of the athletic organization, your
teen can also take small steps toward broadening their
identity with other activities. If they have other interests –
such as playing an instrument, student government or
theater – encourage them to do more and support those
efforts. If they have no other activities, encourage them to
join a new club, take an art class with a friend or get a
part-time job. If physical activities are possible, help
your teen find one that helps them stay as active as
possible. Fostering other interests is healthy and can be a
good distraction. -
Be patient and listen.
Support your teen as they work
to accept their situation. A few months out of play can seem like an eternity
to a teen. It may take time to fully grasp what’s involved with treatment
and recovery, including possible surgery, pain management and time away
from their sport. Dr. Bernstein emphasizes the importance of helping teens
understand that trying to play with an injury isn’t helping themselves or
their team. “Once teens understand this,” he observes, “They often just
want to proceed with treatment so they can get back to their sport and life
as they knew it.”
When listening, try to empathize with any feelings of fear, anger, loneliness or loss your teen may be experiencing. Try not to take grumpiness personally.
Speaking with other athletes who’ve experienced
similar injuries can be validating, providing perspective and offering a
sense of hope to an injured player. If your teen is feeling especially
discouraged, bring in the coach and/or a school counselor. They’re good
listeners, have experience and can help players create focus during
recovery. Find a good talk therapist if you suspect your teen is feeling
depressed. Warning signs of depression can include sleeping or eating more
often or less frequently than usual, lack of participation with other
usually enjoyable activities and friends, frequent or strong outbursts,
physical violence, self-injury and substance abuse.
Furthermore
If an injury requires physical therapy (which it probably will), find a
therapist you’re willing to visit at least two days a week in the
beginning, and offer to help your teen set up appointments and create a
routine for continuing those exercises at home. Acknowledge what can often
be small, yet real, efforts and improvements. You’ll be more helpful when
you use a light touch with your teen and stay focused on the light at the
end of the tunnel.
Finally, help your teen ease slowly back to practice when ready,
according to your doctor’s protocol. Be encouraging without seeming pushy
or anxious. Make sure coaches and trainers have all medical protocol
documentation that is specific to your teen’s case, and keep the lines of
communication open.
Injuries that prevent teens from playing a beloved sport can be
discouraging, even devastating in extreme cases. Although it won’t heal a
physical wound, attending to both your teen’s physical and emotional needs
during recovery can foster and encourage the resiliency needed for them to
persevere and return to play, or courageously adapt if a new direction is
required.
Originally published: 10-01-18
Updated: 10-20-22
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