Children playing sport

Sport for children is a wonderful way of promoting health and for learning to interact with others, although it is important to recognize that children are not fully grown and therefore training and performance should not be expected to be of the same level as an adult. Also their response to injuries will not be the same. Children are not aware of becoming fatigued and so during training and competitive sports they should be watched and given water to drink frequently.

Children's bodies grow at different rates and bones, muscles and ligaments do not always grow at exactly the same time. The body fully matures around the age of 18-21. If a child complains of a pain which has been ongoing for a few months, it is wise to have it checked. Sprains and strains are easy to treat but if it is something worse, it could develop into an injury that will take longer to recover from in the long run.

Safety in sport

Avoid using racquets that are too heavy for the wrist and for example weight lifting and boxing should only be performed under supervision with a proper training program. Training sessions should be monitored and a healthy diet and ample rest is necessary when training or competing in sport at a high level.