Approximately 30 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sport, and more than 3.5 million injuries each year are experienced by those participants. In fact, almost one-third of all childhood injuries are sports-related. Of course, some sports are more dangerous than others. However, every sport has the potential for injury, whether from the trauma of contact with other players or from overuse or misuse of a body part.
Both baseball and softball are popular sports, with more than 2.4 million children participating in a Little League division every year, in addition to playing in other organized baseball- and softball-focused sports programs. And while a three-year study by the National Athletic Trainers Association found that baseball had the lowest total injury rate of sports for high-school aged youths, it still reported that approximately 25% of student athletes were injured playing baseball.
Strains or sprains are some of the most common baseball-related injuries. However, serious head-related injuries can also occur, including eye, nose, mouth, and even brain injuries. Although baseball is typically considered a non-contact sport, it still has the highest fatality rate among all sports – rare, catastrophic injuries typically occur when a player is struck in the head by a bat or a ball. However, players can also get serious concussions when they collide with a teammate or opponent or run into fences, walls, or backstops.
Symptoms of a concussion can include a severe headache, blurred vision, sensitivity to light or noise, nausea or vomiting, and change in mood. If a player appears to be suffering from one or more of these symptoms after a collision or being hit on the head, you should remove them from play immediately until a trained medical professional can clear the athlete to return to the game. New concussion guidelines recommend that any athlete under the age of 18 who is believed to have sustained a concussion during a game or practice shouldn’t be allowed to return to the playing field the same day.
During the baseball season, players can reduce their risk of concussion or other serious head injury by following these 4 tips:
· Avoid collisions at home plate
· Wear properly fitted equipment like a catcher’s mask and batting helmet
· Stay alert while on the bases
· Protect yourself from line drives
No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to prevent injuries altogether. When you need urgent care for sports injuries, turn to the experts here at Patient Care Now Urgent Care in Fairless Hills. We’ll get an accurate diagnosis and begin treatment right away, so your favorite player can return to play as safely and quickly as possible. Call (267) 202-6433, walk right into our office, or check-in online for quick service.
