Keeping Student Athletes Healthy

If you’re a high school or college student (or have one in your life) and you have a closet overflowing with jerseys, cleats, swimsuits, or tennis rackets, you may just be a student athlete. Competing in athletics brings great joy to both students and their families, and it can be a great chance to develop habits that will help you to stay healthy throughout your life.With competition comes some risk of injury—but a little knowledge goes a long way in keeping you safe while you play sports. Read on to learn more about common injuries student athletes face, as well as some tips for recovery and treatment both on and off the field.

A student athlete is someone enrolled in school—usually in high school or college—who plays sports. It’s that simple. Some of you may play in the fall, like football players, while others compete in the spring, like track and field athletes; others of you play multiple sports year-round, which can require extra attention for rest and healing. Injuries don’t happen to every student athlete, but some do get injured and need medical attention.One common injury faced by student athletes is known as an overuse injury, which can happen when a part of the body is used repeatedly without enough rest. Overuse injuries often include knee pain, ankle problems, or shoulder pain, so it’s important to keep your eye on any pain that persists for several days or prevents you from performing to your usual level during play.Sports medicine physicians, coaches, and trainers work together to treat overuse injuries—but just as importantly, they also want to teach you how to prevent injuries before they happen. One way to do this is through physical therapy. Physical therapists can teach you the right exercises and stretches to keep your body strong and healthy. Learning good habits early can make a big difference in keeping you safe both during and after your season.Other injuries can arise from the regular course of competition as a student athlete, like broken bones or pulled muscles. Your sports medicine physician will work with you to develop a healing plan for these injuries, with the goal of returning you to competition as soon as possible.

There are many ways that you—as well as your parents or caregivers—can work to stay healthy throughout the year as you compete in your chosen sports. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Follow a good conditioning program. Conditioning programs are plans that help athletes get their bodies ready to play safely. These can be developed by your coach or trainer. There are also special injury prevention programs, like the FIFA 11+ program used in soccer, to help you to strengthen your muscles and improve balance in ways specific to your sport so you are less likely to get hurt. 

• Stick to your training. Injury prevention is a lot like taking medicine every day for a health condition: you have to stick with it, even when you feel fine. Your effort will pay off by keeping your body strong and avoiding future injuries. 

• Know the risks of your specific sport. Some athletes are more at risk for certain injuries depending on their sport. For example, “overhead athletes,” or athletes who throw their arm overhead repetitively—like baseball and softball pitchers or catchers, for example—need to be especially careful with their arms and shoulders. If you play these sports, you should follow pitch counts and take rest breaks as needed. This plan will help prevent injuries to your shoulders and elbows caused by doing the same motion too often. 

• Remember to rest. It’s important not to play the same sport all year long, because repeated stress on the same parts of your body without rest can lead to an overuse injury. Taking breaks and/or trying different sports can help you to recover and stay healthy: for example, if you’re a soccer player, maybe rotate in some yoga to increase flexibility while you let your lower body recuperate. 

Playing sports takes a lot of energy, so student athletes need to eat well to keep competing. Good nutrition is key to staying healthy, especially during your teen years, while your body is still growing and building strong bones for the rest of your life—roughly half of your lifetime bone density is formed while you’re still a teenager.If you’re still in high school, your parents can help you to maintain a balanced diet; if you’re in college, figuring out a sports-friendly diet can happen with the help of your coach. A balanced diet for sports typically means getting the right mix of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and healthy fats, with enough carbohydrates to make sure you have the energy to compete. Eating right and exercising regularly helps student athletes play better—and feel better too. When your body gets the fuel and training it needs, it’s easier to stay active on the field and avoid injuries.

As noted above, sports medicine physicians often team up with other providers to keep you healthy during your sports season, like physical therapists and coaches. This teamwork is very important, especially for high school students, who are still growing and may be uniquely susceptible to injuries as a result.Athletic trainers at schools play a big role in keeping student athletes healthy. They will check in with you to make sure you’re staying healthy and injury-free while you’re training and competing. If something doesn’t seem right, they can help connect you with a sports medicine physician or physical therapist.Many sports medicine clinics prefer sending student athletes to physical therapy instead of prescribing home exercises. This way, they get better supervision and care. Some clinics even keep a list of trusted physical therapy locations that are good at working with children and teens to make sure that you’ll get the right kind of treatment for your specific injury.Student athletes work hard in school and in sports. To keep you healthy, watch out for injuries, build good habits early, and work with a team of experts who care about your well-being. With the right care, support, and knowledge, you can enjoy your sports for years to come while staying safe and strong.

At ChristianaCare’s Sports & Lifestyle Medicine, we’re dedicated to helping your student athlete stay at the top of their game—whether they're recovering from an injury or working to prevent one. Our expert team provides personalized care to keep them active, healthy and performing their best in every sport and activity. Request an appointment online or call us at 302-320-9440 to give your athlete the support they need to stay in the game—and excel.