As most of the country continues to experience record-breaking heat, more and more coaches, parents, and health experts are becoming aware of the dangers associated with children and high school athletes performing in such conditions.
In fact, since 2006, heat exhaustion accounts for 25 percent of sports-related injuries for children under age 17, according to a study by the Medical University of South Carolina. Perhaps most alarmingly, this figure increased by 133 percent over 1997.
Despite the increased awareness, however, there is still more work to be done – regarding heat exhaustion and other physical injuries, some of which can be precipitated by the heat. One survey found that only 29 percent of parents felt their child’s coaches had the necessary skills to identify injuries.
Fortunately, advanced physical therapy in Downers Grove can provide an alternative. Parents of injured high school students, in tandem with their child’s physical therapists, can learn how to look for and prevent injuries.