Sports Injuries in Children
Posted Friday, March 22, 2019 by Chris Thayer
Springtime is here! In addition to nice weather, a mood lift from the dark and cold days of winter, and the excitement of summer happening soon, many children’s sports teams are starting their spring seasons. Playing a sport can be the highlight of a young person’s life. Organized sports teach teamwork, dedication, hard work, communication skills, physical fitness, and can boost a child’s self-confidence. There are numerous benefits to playing sports, but participating in a sport does not come without risks. Youth sports can result in serious injuries that can change a child’s life.
Parents want to keep their children safe and will stop at nothing to do so. However, accidents and injuries still occur. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the potential injuries your child may incur when playing organized sports.
- Dislocated Joints: One of the main injuries associated with sports is dislocating a joint. This happens when there is some movement or contact that moves a bone out of the joint in which it normally rests. Signs of dislocation include the area being swollen, pain, and an noticeably odd appearance at the joint.
- ACL Tears: An ACL tear is an injury to the connective tissue that surrounds the knee. This is often talked about in college or professional sports as being a career-ending injury. This is because it is difficult to recover from and requires extensive therapy over a long period of time. This type of injury occurs when an individual suddenly stops, changes direction quickly, lands wrong after jumping into the air, or even just slows down while running.
- Fractures/Bone Breaks: A fracture can occur in any sport, not just in contact sports. Tripping and falling down, colliding with another player, or otherwise coming into contact with hard surfaces can result in a fracture or break. Any injury to the bone needs to be addressed immediately to make sure it heals properly.
- Concussions: One of the most dangerous injuries a child can endure in sports is a concussion. A concussion is a “minor” traumatic brain injury. If left untreated, or if it is not diagnosed or found, it can result in serious consequences.
It is not unreasonable to think that your child might get hurt while playing sports. In many instances, when signing up your child for a sports team, there is a degree of assuming the risk of injury. Some injuries might come with the territory of playing a sport, but not every injury falls under assumption of risk. Regardless of the risk associated with the sport, if an injury is caused by the negligence or wrongful act of another, you might be entitled to compensation for the injury. The personal injury attorneys at Pivotal Law Group are here to help you get the compensation needed to recover from an injury. Contact us today for a consultation.
(image courtesy of John Fornander)