By Michael Ellerbusch, MD

Fall is football season, and like any contact sport, there can be injuries, but through education and proper preparation, the risks can be significantly reduced. This season, our team at Southlake Orthopaedics is partnering with the Jefferson Shelby Youth Football League to ensure parents, players, and coaches have the necessary knowledge to keep the sport safe.

Football is a collision sport, and we see all types of injuries, starting with concussions which are more widely recognized today than they were 15 or 20 years ago. This is an important one for parents to be aware of so that it can be treated quickly and properly. If a concussion is suspected, the child needs to immediately stop the activity and seek care. We have a quick access line that parents can call and get their child to our clinic as soon as possible if a concussion is suspected.

Then we do get some spine injuries, like neck and lower back injuries, but fortunately, most of our youth football injuries result from soft tissue injuries like sprains and contusions. Parents should also be aware that there are injuries that can affect the joints, including shoulders, elbows, hands, and wrists. We see some wrist and forearm fractures during youth football seasons, but fortunately, most fractures of this nature can be treated non-surgically with cast protection.

Most leg injuries occur around the knees and ankles, which are usually damaged from ligament injuries at the knees or ankle sprains, and sometimes, although rarely at this age, we see ACL injuries.

Parents can help their children avoid serious health issues by ensuring that their child goes into each game prepared. One of the big things you can do is keep your child adequately hydrated and be heat acclimated. Kids should hydrate every day, but especially before and during practices and games. Dehydration issues can cause very serious medical conditions including heat exhaustion and even heat stroke. There are certain things players and parents can watch for to see if dehydration is occurring, including significant weight loss after practice as well as a change in urine color to dark yellow.

Proper-fitting equipment is also important for injury prevention. If something isn’t fitting correctly, make sure it’s adjusted before the child uses it.

The best time to prevent injury is in the preseason so that kids are ready for the season, temperature acclimated, strengthened up, well-hydrated, adequately fitted in their equipment, and educated on injuries before they occur.

Although many injuries in youth football are minor, it’s important to take all injuries seriously. These kids have growth plates, and if they have an injury, it can affect their growth, which can lead to long-term complications. Most importantly, we need parents to keep a close watch on their children for signs of concussions. If any neurological symptoms are seen following an injury, the sooner they can pull the child out of the activity and in to be seen and evaluated, the better their outcome will be.

Michael Ellerbusch, MD practice non-surgical sports medicine at Southlake Orthopaedics. He serves as Team Physician for Hoover High School and the associated middle schools, and he is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine and Electrodiagnostic Medicine.