As the Winter Olympics put a spotlight on high-speed, high-impact sports like skiing, snowboarding, and skating, it’s an ideal moment to discuss how families and young athletes can stay safe while enjoying winter sports.
Dr. Naomi Brown, pediatric sports medicine specialist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, offers insight on winter sports safety, injury prevention, and what families can learn from Olympic athletes to help reduce injury risk on the slopes, rink, or sledding hill.
“Watching Olympic athletes is inspiring, but it’s important to remember that safety is what keeps them at their best.”Dr. Naomi Brown, pediatric sports medicine specialist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
“Simple steps like warming up properly, wearing the right protective gear, and knowing your limits can go a long way in preventing injuries for kids and teens enjoying winter sports at home,” Brown said.
The most common winter sports injuries in children and teens, including sprains, fractures, concussions, and overuse injuries, as well as practical steps families can take to reduce risk, such as proper warm-ups, safe technique, and age-appropriate supervision.
How Olympic athletes prepare their bodies for performance and injury prevention, through structured warm-ups, strength and conditioning, recovery, and properly fitted equipment, and how families and young athletes can adapt these habits at home, on the slopes, or at the rink.
The critical role of helmets and protective gear in winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and sledding.
Understanding personal limits, taking breaks, and avoiding high-risk behaviors that can lead to preventable injuries.
How to recognize when a winter sports injury requires medical attention, such as persistent pain, swelling, head injury symptoms, or limited movement, versus injuries that can be safely managed at home.
Dr. Naomi Brown is pediatric sports medicine specialist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Her work focuses on sports injury prevention, overuse injuries, and pain management. Her areas of expertise include dance medicine, hypermobility, injury prevention, pediatric injuries, pediatric sports medicine, repetitive strain injuries, skiing and snowboarding injuries, and sports injuries.
(Newswise/HG)